Jaywalking (Postponed)
by KtyouVsWriting
Summary: In another life, he would've been called Jaune Arc. Today, he is Jay Branwen. So what are the perks? Training from the best of the best? A father that shields you, but is a hardass? The celebrity status? Check. And the bad stuff? Um...same as the perks. Life's bound to be one hell of a ride. One thing's for sure: we hate the word perfect. And Pyrrha Nikos is described as such.
1. Chapter 1: One is Lost

Chapter 1: One is Lost

 **Remnant...**

Qrow Branwen kept himself concealed as he trekked his way through the thick of the forest. He was nearing a nearby town. Once he got there, he would check in for the day and figure out just what he was doing right now.

This wasn't a contract, just him going off on his own for once.

Well… he went off on his own a lot now. He needed to in order to vent his annoyance, his anger, his every negative emotions somewhere. Better that the Grimm and other evil dudes receive it rather than a unfortunate passer-byer

Things for Team STRQ were tense. Raven had just vanished from their lives altogether without so much as a goodbye. To say that Taiyang was unhappy was hardly doing justice. He was positively brimming with probably every single negative emotion possible. The scythe-wielder was sure that every Grimm in the world could feel Taiyang's emotional pain it was that potent.

Qrow didn't know his sister's reasons for leaving Taiyang at the most critical part of her relationship with his fellow huntsman. Their daughter had been born not two weeks ago, Yang Xiao Long, and even Qrow had to admit that it was truly a sight to beholden. Why had Raven done this, abandoned her love? Did she even care? Would she come back?

A part of him had an idea of why Raven had left, but he hadn't been in contact with her since her disappearance. The thought of trying to get in touch had been rolling in his mind, but Qrow wasn't sure if it was even worth it. She could disappear at will and keep herself hidden for as long as she desired. She was always good at being elusive, as was he.

The only reason that they weren't in even worse condition than they were now was Summer's support. That woman knew how to keep the together despite the loss of their teammate. She was probably feeling some of her own pain, but for the sake of being a leader, Summer pushed aside her pain and focused on her remaining two teammates. The woman took care of them all so much.

Taiyang was strong, but he would no doubt need the support of his team leader in order to get through this time of being a father. His life had been changed for the better and for the worse. He was a father, but now his significant other was gone. Still, he was trying to make an effort, because his daughter was depending on him.

And Qrow, he tried to play his sister's disappearance off, but even Summer knew he was in a bad place along with the rest of them. More and more, he had gone out more by himself to keep himself in check. He had taken far more missions than he really needed to. It was for the better.

And if he wasn't doing this or contracts, then he was drinking, a fairly new habit to be sure, but one that Qrow was slowly developing it into a staying one. He knew this, and yet it didn't do anything to make him stop. Nobody was going to tell him that he was wrong, and that was just fine with him. He would be allowed to drink in peace.

Or as close to peace as a huntsman could hope to get considering the things that he'd seen already in the short time as a licensed huntsman.

He still had a flask with him in the event that he had off time, but when he was doing his job, he remained sober. He might be fine drunk for the most part, but out here, he had a self-proclaimed "job" to do, and he intended to see it through.

So here he was, finding his way to this nearby town. These woods, while not thick with Grimm, did still harbor a few here and there. A few were hardly any challenge for him. He'd already killed a King Taijitu and five Beowolves; the only thing wrong was the slight blood smudges on his weapon.

He'd have to clean that up later.

His scroll told him that he was within five miles of the village. It was a bit of a relief to know this. Qrow didn't know how long he'd been walking like this, but it was best to just get there and see if anyone needed help. Maybe there was a bar he could sulk in for a few hours. Then a simple room to sleep in would be welcome.

Good plan. Then he could get back to the real work that Ozpin would call him for. That man always had a job for him.

The reason that Qrow hadn't turned into a crow and flown the way was because he wasn't a lazy person with his semblance. This wasn't an impossible journey to begin with, and he only used his alternate form for those extra-long journeys.

Looking ahead, he could see a hill up ahead. Good, a bit of height would tell him just how far he had to go in order to get to where he needed to go.

A short hike, and Qrow stopped, narrowing his eyes to look into the distance.

A smoke cloud.

He looked again.

A thick smoke cloud of white.

Like the kinds that were very big, large enough to be dangerous and lethal.

That thought made Qrow take off at blinding speeds. He still had at least several more miles to go before he actually was at the location of the town. He had to use his aura to start bouncing from tree to tree while gaining more momentum with each leap.

 _Come on, Qrow. Get your rear in gear._

Fires of this magnitude were not often heard of, but that didn't make them any less false. This one was though, this couldn't be from natural causes though. It had to be the work of someone, Human or Faunus. There was no lightning storm in the area and it was hardly dry out.

Qrow banished his questions to the pit and pushed forward.

The first thing that came to mind when he entered the "town" was that whatever fire was here was now gone. Whatever was left was ash and dust and debris. The only thing living were Grimm, and they were prowling the area, taking in carcasses of the people who weren't lucky enough to survive. In fact, it might be accurate to say that there were no survivors whatsoever.

That made Qrow angry.

Pulling his weapon out, Qrow silently charged a pack of Beowolves. He didn't even flinch as he cut them down one by one systematically. Several Ursai tried to ambush him from behind, so he quickly switched to gun form and blasted them both at point-black range. Two headless bodies fell to the ground before dissolving. A Griffon tried to take his head off in mid-flight, but Qrow simply adjusted his so that the flying monster was sliced deftly in two right down the middle.

The immediate area was clear, but Qrow had a sneaking suspicion that there were more somewhere. So he kept his weapon in-hand as he made his way into the town.

Noting a few bodies, Qrow kneeled down to inspect what he was looking at. Human, looked to be in the mid to late 30's, not much different than Qrow's age. Blond hair, slight stubble. It looked like he was dead from so many bite wounds, and judging by the blood trail, he was no doubt dragged out by the Grimm

Another body, this one a Human woman. She looked to be a similar age. Her hair was brunette-colored instead of blonde. Like the other body, she was riddled with multiple bite marks.

Qrow noticed the two of them had rings on their fingers. They were a married couple. That hurt him just a little bit more, the reminder that the Grimm had torn apart another family. His grip on his longsword tightened.

Then he heard something that he least expected to hear in this death hold: the cries of a baby. It was instantly recognizable.

Without even really considering what he was doing, Qrow jumped to his feet and followed the trail of sounds to find a partially-collapsed building, partly smoking, but still standing somehow.

Qrow quickly tore open the door to get inside, heedless of any damage that he may have been causing. He walked in to see what had once been a waiting area and a clerk desk. This was a motel of some kind.

The cries were near. Qrow put a hand to the walls to listen. On the other side of this wall, there was that cry.

Grabbing his weapon, Qrow slashed very carefully so as to give anyone else who was potentially on the other side a notice that he was there.

When the wall collapsed, Qrow took a look in. There was no one else in the room, but it was trashed as was the rest of the building. Blood stains were covering virtually all of what was left of the decorations and the bed.

And sitting on a nearby dresser was a baby crib. Qrow tentatively took a step forward, lowering his weapon. The crying had stopped.

And he looked into the crib.

There was a baby, probably not much older than maybe a month or two. Certainly not a newborn, Qrow could tell for certain even with his very limited baby knowledge. Its eyes looked to him, and Qrow couldn't help but marvel at the sight. The eyes were sapphire-blue, darker than Taiyang's eyes.

Then Qrow had a realization: were those bodies he came across outside happen to be this little guy's parents?

If so, well that wasn't good.

Then another thought crossed his mind: how had his parents been torn apart but he remained intact, and calm?

Somehow, that wasn't right. At all. Qrow stared harder at the baby, and the kid stopped crying to notice him, and then reached out.

Qrow looked positively at a loss.

What the hell was he suppose to do with this boy?

He was sure it was a boy given the lack of anything on the crib to indicate a girl. He didn't really want to find out.

Okay, he needed help to figure out what to do with this kid.

So back to Patch?

That pretty much summed it up.

Qrow hesitantly took hold of the baby, fearing that he'd cause the little thing to cry or make a fuss. He knew just how bad they could be.

And to his surprise, nothing happened. The baby didn't even so much as give off the impression of being upset. So Qrow checked to make sure nothing had changed.

What he saw instead was now one eye was his normal blue color while the other was red like his own. The baby stared back, still not in a happy mood, but not exactly sad either.

 _Okay…_ Qrow thought. _Now I'm a babysitter. Literally._

How grossly degrading.

Sighing to himself, Qrow carefully secured the bundle in his arms. He'd do a final sweep around the town and see what else there was left, if anything.

An interesting day? Qrow could argue yes and no.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Summer Rose looked out the window as she gently held Yang in her arms. It was a rather rainy day out today, not exactly the best way to start off the weekend. She had forgotten to check the weather before she made plans to be out today.

It wasn't like her to forget to do things, but with everything going on as of late, she felt that a little slack for herself was warranted.

It had a been a tough few weeks thus far. Raven was gone for god knows what reason, Taiyang was trying to care for Yang but also still trying to recover from their losses. Qrow was… acting more angry than what was normal for him. He'd been out on at least twelve missions and all in rapid succession and without a break. He hadn't been home for several days.

Summer knew that Qrow would come back, but she still worried about him. Perhaps he was trying to find his sister. That would make sense, but that scenario seemed unlikely given the fact that he hadn't even mentioned Raven.

Yang began to whimper again, and Summer jumped back into what she was doing. She quickly grabbed the baby formula bottle she had prepared and fed Yang. The little girl accepted this with much enthusiasm. her lilac eyes showing just how much she loved being fed.

Then the door slammed open, which jolted Summer, and she prepared herself to fight even with Yang in her hands.

Instead of an enemy or a Grimm, there was Qrow, who carried a strange look. His cape was covering his front rather than hanging like it normally should. It looked like he was carrying something with two hands.

"Qrow!" Summer looked angry. "Where the hell have you been? You can't just go dark like that for days on end!"

"Yeah, about that," Qrow spoke. "We've got a bit of a situation on our hands."

"What situation?" Summer narrowed her eyes. "Raven?"

"Forget about Raven," he dismissed angrily. "This is the problem."

Qrow unraveled the cloak and let it fall down his back. And Summer looked at what he was holding in his arms and her eyes widened in shock.

"Qrow," Summer looked shaken. "What is…"

"Found him in a destroyed village," he answered. "Grimm everywhere, but somehow this kid's still alive."

"Parents," Summer asked.

"Dead."

Her face paled in horror. This baby would never know his parents? What kind of cruel fate was deserving of anyone?

"What's going on?" Taiyang entered the kitchen.

"Taiyang, here." Summer offered Yang to him.

He took his daughter, his expression still confused. Then he looked at what Qrow was holding, and he too reacted as Summer had moments ago.

"Qrow," Taiyang began.

"You can tell Tai about it later," Summer interrupted. "Give him here."

Qrow carefully handed the baby to Summer, who carefully examined the new guest.

"You poor thing," she cooed. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

He didn't cry, and even stranger, Summer looked into his eyes, one clearly a unique sapphire-blue while the other was dark silver like her own eye.

That could wait for later.

"Qrow, get me some formula," Summer ordered.

"You got it." Qrow immediately set out to do what she said.

The cloaked woman continued to hold their newest charge. From one crisis to another. One child and a lost teammate was already putting a strain on their already-dented morale. Just how much more pressure could they take?

"So what now," Taiyang asked, still holding Yang.

Summer stared at the boy who didn't even have a name. Maybe at one point his parents had named him. But now it may as well be lost with them.

When she gently touched a finger, the bundle managed to grab her finger with a tiny hand.

That was all it took for her smile to return to her face.

"You're serious about this," Taiyang questioned. "Are you sure about this, Summer?"

"He looks like a younger you," she looked to him. "Tell me you don't see a bit of resemblance."

He moved closer in order to look at the tiny baby that his leader held; now that he thought of it, the kid did bear a bit of a resemblance to him. It was uncanny.

"Alright," he conceded. "I admit, he's like a mini-me."

Both of them watched the baby boy with wider smiles on their faces. Another memeber to add to their family?

It seemed so.

Then the eye that was Summer's color shifted to the sky-blue of Taiyang's eyes. Both of the hunters puzzled at this.

"You saw that right?" Tai's brow furrowed.

"Yeah, I did," Summer replied.

The eye shifted again, this time with a split color. Half of the iris was dark silver while the other half was sky-blue.

"What are we trying to figure out?" Qrow returned with a new bottle of formula.

"Did you notice this color-changing eye, Qrow," Summer inquired.

"No," he said. "But it was red like mine when I first touched him."

The scythe-wielding huntsman stepped up to offer her the bottle, and she accepted.

"Do you see what we see?" She gestured to the boy.

All three of them looked to baby, whose eye was now split three ways into their eye colors, a third red, a third silver, and a third blue.

"Wait," Qrow whispered. "This must be a semblance."

"Who unlocks an aura this young?" Taiyang rocked Yang. "Babies don't need aura."

"But it might've saved his life," Qrow explained. "He must somehow connect to those in close proximity. That could explain why the Grimm didn't tear him apart."

"That doesn't really explain much," Summer shook her head. "And right now, I just want to feed him and get him to sleep. We can work out the details later."

Despite acting unnaturally serene for a baby, he did accept the formula as much as Yang had. Still a baby with needs at its core.

"And if we're going to take him in, we need to name him." Summer looked to Taiyang and Qrow. "Ideas?"

The two huntsman looked to each other, then stared off into space. Neither of them seemed to have an idea. Leave it to her teammates to think up of a name.

Summer sighed.

"Fine. I guess I'll think of one. How about…"

She paused in thought.

"Jay."

"That's actually not a bad one," Tai commented. "I like it. It matches his eyes. So who's family name are we putting to him?"

"You found him, Qrow," Summer jabbed. "He takes your family name."

"Great," Qrow sighed. "Now I'm a parent."

"You'll get into the role," Tai chuckled. "I know we are."

"I very much doubt it," Qrow muttered. "I'm not parent material."

"Life makes you do things you never expect," Summer whispered.

The woman looked to Jay, who watched her with multicolored eyes.

"Hey there, Jay. I know that may not be your name you were given at birth, but we'll give you a home here."

Jay responded with a tighter grip on the bottle.

Memories could wait.

* * *

 **Hello my readers. Welcome to a story that's going to be so wacky in a way. This is AU as you've already guessed.** **From now on, Jaune Arc is now Jay Branwen. Remember that as I move forward. I've got some cool ideas planned, and I hope to make it one fun story.**

 **That being said, leave a review if you loved this pilot chapter. If you hated it, let me know why. If you loved, then all the better! Feedback and criticism is appreciated.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading, and remember, prosperity is full of friends.**

 **Peace!**


	2. Chapter 2: Infant Instinct

Chapter 2: Infant Instinct

 **Patch Island**

 **Remnant**

 **4 Years Later…**

Jay and Yang both of them four years of age struggled to keep with the raging speed demon that was called Ruby. How the younger girl could be so fast so young baffled the two children.

"Ruby's so fast," Yang whined. "It's not fair."

"Not slow," Ruby said proudly.

"Yeah, not fair," Jay said.

"But Jay-Jay got eye thing," Ruby pouted.

While the children played outside, the parents of the children watched from nearby, but their moods were starkly opposite compared to their children.

"Qrow, I've listened to some really stupid ideas before," Summer exclaimed. "But this one tops them all."

"He's ready," Qrow argued. "Jay's been ready ever since he came into our lives. I've just been waiting for him to grow enough to walk and run."

Taiyang shook his head. "He's four years old. Why are you so insistent about training him this early?"

"He needs to learn to protect himself," Qrow pressed. "I've been telling you guys this for two years now. Jay's semblance is an extremely rare one. He should learn how to hone it."

Taiyang and Summer looked at each other, a worried expression painted on their faces. This discussion had been the subject of much debate between the three of them for about five weeks counting this week.

Jay was legally Qrow's child, but Summer and Taiyang shared responsibilities whenever Qrow couldn't be around. In order to make more time for Jay, He had applied and been accepted as teacher into Signal Academy. Contracts were less frequent, and the ones he did take mostly came from Ozpin, and those lasted days at worst.

Whatever time he did have left he resorted to a bit of drinking, albeit less than what he use to drink, followed by attending to Jay's needs. Qrow truthfully hated the first two years of raising the blond-haired boy. A kid that needed attention virtually all of the day was one major pain to deal with. Diapers, food, regular checkups, and educational needs were just a few of the things he had to do. It was grueling work for the huntsman to learn the thing that he swore never to do in his life.

Entertainment? That was just as difficult to do as caring for Jay's health. Qrow was never good with kids and he never pretended to be, but like it or not, he had to do this, so with a lot of effort on his part, he had learned to play with Jay, no matter how stupid he made himself look. He wasn't embarrassed because for the most part, there was no one around to actually make fun of him save for Summer and Taiyang, and he was use to their antics.

One thing was for sure though: Qrow found himself having to be a lot less reckless and a lot more careful. No longer did he take on missions with any sort of overinflated bravado or foolhardy determination to go suicide. It wasn't him to be this responsible, and he attributed it to caring for Jay. The kid was making him uptight, which was so not his style.

Damn responsibilities.

"Qrow." Summer waved a hand in front of his face.

The red-eyed huntsman shook his head from his thoughts and refocused back on what they were talking about.

What were they talking about again?

Oh, right, they were talking about Jay.

It was just like Summer and Taiyang to baby Jay like they babied Yang and Ruby. The two of them protected the three children like every Grimm on Remnant was after them. It shouldn't have come as any surprise to Qrow. Despite all of them moving on from Raven's departure from their lives, they were not all fully recovered. Taiyang was extremely protective of both his daughters and Summer had settled into a less child-like personality and had fully resumed the role of mother to the two sisters.

But the truth of the matter was the Jay had a unique semblance that would allow him to become quite possibly the most able huntsman of his time. Qrow was insistent on the need to fully utilize the boy's gifts.

"I'm taking him with me to train," Qrow finalized. "You may not like it, but I'm his guardian, and he's my problem."

"That's how you're viewing it?" Summer's brow furrowed. "A problem to be dealt with?"

"Don't cram words into my mouth Summer," he replied, "You know fully well why this has to be done."

"I think you're being irrational," Summer countered hotly, "Qrow, stop thinking about things that aren't going to happen."

"I'm preparing him," Qrow corrected annoyingly, "Can't you guys see the big picture here? It's not about me; it's about Jay."

"Do you even hear yourself," Taiyang gestured. "You say it's about Jay, but is it really?"

"What's your point Tai?" The scythe-wielder glared.

"I think you know perfectly well my point." The blond crossed his arms. "Raven."

Qrow gritted his teeth as he looked to them both. The two of them were impossible, refusing to see why it was that he had to do this. They would sooner hide Yang and Ruby from the world rather than let them face the harsh truth. It was understandable, and it was idiotic just the same to Qrow, but it was their children; he had Jay.

And how dare they use Raven against him. For him, that was crossing a line, and even for his teammates, he wouldn't stand for it.

"I'm done talking." Qrow rose from his seat. "Jay! We're leaving!"

"Coming dad," Jay responded.

Qrow spared one last glance at his two teammates before he felt the presence of Jay at his side. He looked down at the boy, who gazed with innocent wonder. The parent simply gestured for Jay to get into their vehicle. His order was followed without hesitation.

"Qrow," Summer called out. "Please reconsider."

 _I've already considered this carefully,_ Qrow mulled, _And I'm not changing my mind._

He didn't even turn his back to look at his friends.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Daddy," Jay asked. "What's going on?"

"We're going to be training to fight Grimm," Qrow answered. "But first, we'll be using swords."

"Real swords," Jay inquired, clearly excited.

"No, kid," Qrow chuckled, "You're too young for a real sword. We'll be using wooden swords."

"Aw," Jay's smile dropped. "But I want a sword and scythe like you!"

"You'll get there one day," the huntsman said, "For now, take this."

Qrow casually handed Jay a stick that was representative of a normal sword's length. When the blond tried to lift it, it wasn't surprising for the veteran that the boy was having difficulty keeping it up for long periods of time.

Jay grunted. "It's heavy!"

"Get use to it, because I won't be easy on you."

Qrow didn't bring his trusted weapon with him. If Jay had any form of training he would do so, but the boy wasn't capable of defending himself yet. Once his sword skills reached a certain point, he would give the boy a true weapon to use.

"Ready, bite size?"

"Yeah, sure dad."

He wasn't ready. He couldn't even hold a sword properly. Qrow didn't give any indication as to this fact. There were far more effective ways to learn that a stance was wrong. Jay would learn the way he did.

In an attempt to lessen the embarrassment, Qrow tried to make an effort to make it seem like his single stroke was with some strength. Jay's weapon clattered to the ground a few feet away from the trainer and the trainee.

"What did I do wrong?" Jay walked up to grab his sword.

"That's not how it works," Qrow shook his head, "I don't tell you. You figure it out."

"Huh," Jay cocked his head.

Qrow had more than enough time to once again swipe and disarm the blond a second time. Jay looked flabbergasted at being disarmed a second time and not seeing it coming. Nevertheless, he didn't give up, picking up the wooden sword again, this time just getting ready for his father's attack.

The huntsman charged again, and Jay braced himself, even knowing that this was going to be undoubtedly another knockdown. So it came to Jay's surprise that instead of finding his weapon out of hand, he was flat on his back. It took him only a moment to realize that Qrow had performed a sweep with a leg.

How did he not remember that one?

Jay scrambled to his feet and held the wooden sword in front of him. Think, think, what to do?

His eyes trained on Qrow as the man prepared to strike again. Jay didn't know why his dad wanted to train like this. How was he going to learn anything without any sort of imitation or some template to go by?

Jay didn't have time to think another thought as he intercepted a strike, but the force causing him to fall to the ground. Again, Qrow didn't say anything or do anything to correct him, merely watching as he got up and into a ready stance once again.

 _Think Jay, think. What can I do?_

Maybe get out of the way before another hit?

Jay simply went with that, dodging before the strike could meet his stick. His victory was short-lived as Qrow struck faster than he could anticipate. The stick yet again fell from his hands.

Jay frowned as he picked up the "weapon."

"Not so easy, is it," Qrow smiled.

"No," Jay grumbled.

"Again," Qrow urged.

The boy grimaced. "I've already tried. I can't."

"Doesn't matter," Qrow ignored him. "Pick it up. Do it again."

Seeing nothing better to do, Jay did as he was told, his face showing signs of obvious dissatisfaction. It was clear as day to him that Qrow wasn't going to let up on him any time soon. One way or another, he was going to have to do something to keep himself in the game.

But what could he do?

Jay regarded Qrow, his blue eyes meeting his red ones. And then he looked again really closely. He squinted his eyes and looked harder.

He blinked.

Qrow struck again.

And this time, Jay didn't absorb the blow but rather deflected it with deft swordplay. Qrow continued to strike, and the boy didn't hesitate to parry and deflect the blows. His face was hardwired into an expression of concentration.

Seeing that his first few strikes failed, the huntsman tried to incorporate a few takedown moves in his sequences. He didn't react when Jay seemed to anticipate these moves and leaped out of reach. Qrow simply pushed forward with a few more blows, restrained of course. He was hardly using his full strength for this. It would be a long time before he could bring his all to the fight.

Qrow moved in, and engaged in a blade lock with Jay. It lasted for about two seconds, before he effectively disarmed Jay with a feign, then a stun.

"No," Jay pouted. "I had it."

Jay looked up expecting to see a look of unhappiness or disappointment. He hadn't done very well against his dad. Surely disappointment was the only thing his parent could feel.

To his bewilderment, he saw nothing even close to resembling discontent. Rather there was a very clear smirk, a face that Jay instantly knew to be his father's way of showing approval, as the man rarely smiled a genuine smile.

"No," Qrow breathed. "You did exactly what I wanted you to do."

"What," Jay asked.

"You'll understand one day," Qrow explained. "One day, but for now, try doing what just did."

"But I didn't do well."

"Everyone starts bad, Jay. You aren't the first."

Everyone failed? Even his dad?

"Dad?"

"Another day."

Jay shrugged and picked up the stick again. Fight now, question later. That sounded good.

Taking a deep breath, he readied himself again. Whatever it took, he would get this down even if it took him forever to do so.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Mama," Yang said. "Where is Jay? Why did Uncle Qrow take him away?"

Summer momentarily stopped feeding Ruby to look at her adopted daughter. Hearing Jay's name was something that brought a smile to her face and yet also caused her to grimace in pain internally.

Qrow had without a doubt made it known to her and Taiyang that Jay was going to be a warrior and more than likely a huntsman with the passing years. It had been a month since their little fallout and the man had even less time to talk to them. His focus was making sure that Jay was able to get lessons from the best of the best.

Summer still disapproved greatly of what he was doing. Qrow was essentially training a child to do something that shouldn't need to be done for at least five years. He was insisting it was for Jay's own good, but what good was subjugating a child to combat when he barely even hold a sword properly. How could the boy even hope to be capable right now?

Taiyang shared her sentiment on the matter, and on more than one occasion had tried to find a reason to make Qrow see their reasoning, try to get the scythe-wielder to reconsider his actions, but Qrow wouldn't budge on the issue, going so far as to lessening contact with the two of them. Intentionally training Jay was bad enough, but also intentionally telling them to stay out of his business, that was a real slap to the face.

Qrow hadn't even told if he would allow Jay to see Yang and Ruby, and that worried Summer immensely. The two sisters did love the boy dearly, even calling him a brother. Both of them needed Jay. If they were to suddenly lose him, there was no telling how the two of them would react. Well, perhaps Ruby wasn't old enough to understand, but Yang was, and that was bad enough.

In any case, if both Yang and Ruby called him brother, then he needed to be in their lives as much as possible, not out training for something based on Qrow's worst fear.

"Jay's going to train with Uncle Qrow," Summer fake smiled.

"Like to be a huntsman," Yang tilted her head. " "Like you?"

Summer hesitated for a moment. Would Yang understand the real reason why Jay was away? She shook her head mentally. Now was not the time for a heartache.

Summer nodded. "Yes."

Yang hummed. "When will he come back?"

Summer carefully scooped another spoonful of food into Ruby's mouth, all the while consider how to answer the question. All she could muster was an answer that was neutral, not hopeful, but not a letdown either.

"I don't know, Yang dear," Summer answered. "I wish I did."

Ruby whined a bit at being paid attention to less and that she was being fed less. The huntress quickly snapped from her thoughts to redirect her attention to her daughter. This shouldn't be getting her down so much and here she was moping about it like it was the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

Maybe Jay was more than a nephew in Summer's eyes. Maybe all of those hours of caring for his needs when Qrow couldn't be there had morphed Jay into a son of sorts for her. She doted very much on Jay arguably just as much as she did with Yang and Ruby. It didn't matter that he wasn't of any of their blood; all that mattered was his safety and care. That had to be the reason Summer worried, and she was sure that Taiyang would agree with her. He too had helped to care for the blond boy as much as she had, and although he hadn't said as many times, Taiyang did care for Jay too.

"Still thinking about that?"

"Tai," she jumped up in her seat. "Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly. "You need any help?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Summer agreed.

"Yang," he called. "How about we do something cool?"

"Okay," the blonde girl said.

The girl hopped down from her meal and quickly followed her father to go outside. Summer heard the door open and close close, and that left her with her own thoughts and a still hungry Ruby.

"Jay," she mumbled. "Will you come back?"

"Jay-Jay," Ruby shouted. "He come back."

The white-clad huntress studied her daughter, beaming a bit. Always the optimist, the girl was, even when she couldn't comprehend matters like the ones that plagued her mother's mind. Ruby was hopeful even now, even when she didn't even know what hope was. She always did remember Jay. He was very much a positive influence on the lives of both sisters.

Hope. Perhaps that was what she needed a little bit of.

"Yes Ruby," Summer repeated. "Hope is what I need, hope that Jay will come back to use safe and sound."

"Mama worry," Ruby intoned. "Mama not happy."

That did it for Summer as she pulled Ruby from her seat and held onto her like the world was swallowing both of them up. Ruby hugged, not understanding why her mother was upset, but still not liking it just the same.

The mother sobbed, loud enough for it to be registered by Ruby.

"No cwy mama," Ruby said.

It was too late to stop her sad mood and too late to stop herself from letting out the tears. Who was she kidding? As long as Jay was training with Qrow, Summer would always worry and fret and fear. Jay may be Qrow's son, but he family to her no matter whose family name he carried.

Damn Qrow for making her like this.

Damn him for taking Jay away from them.

"Mama."

"Ruby," she whispered.

She held her daughter tighter.

May whatever diety out there watch over Jay Branwen, because it was no longer in her hands to care for him.

* * *

 **The last chapter didn't really convey exactly what I wanted, and despite the positive feedback, I do feel that I needed to get out just how much this story will pull on emotional strings. That's the goal and intent anway.**

 **There will be several more chapters concerning Jay/Jaune and his upbringing. Then we'll move to the present day. This could change depending on how the chapters come out once written. One thing's for sure, expect the unexpected.**

 **Some people have questions concerning the Arkos shipping, and I wish I could answer them, but that would ruin the fun out of me trying tell a story of romance, so sad to say this, but you'll have to read it to find out. I know I'm a major tease, but I like to surprise my readers.**

 **Because this story is in its budding stages, I can't commit to it as intensely as my story "One-Night Brand." In addition to my college studies, it's going to be tought to get out chapters, so if you guys want more of this story, let me know in a review. Say the good, the bad, and give feedback so I can make this better.**

 **Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read this story so far. I'm happy with the favorites, follows, and reviews I've gotten so far. Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, and remember, art is the proper task of life.**

 **Peace!**


	3. Chapter 3: Loss of Innocence

Chapter 3: Loss of Innocence

 **4 Years later…**

Jay knocked on the door to the house. He then took a step back and waited, but he wouldn't do so for long. He still didn't have a lot of patience, a fact that his father had pointed out a lot.

One second passed by. He stared still, his foot tapping against the steps. Impatience was catching up to him.

Two more seconds passed. His fists flexed.

 _Not much longer please,_ he pleaded mentally.

Another three seconds ticked away. Still he stared at the door like it was the most interesting thing on Remnant. Please let the door open soon.

A few more seconds passed, and then the door opened and he smiled when Aunt Summer opened the door. She was still as he remembered. What he forgot was to prepare himself for when she swept him up in her arms and gave him a rather strong hug, which forced air out of his lungs. It was a wonderful feeling mentally even if physically it was above his ability.

"Jay," she sighed happily. "How are you?"

Even with his feet off the ground, Jay found the strength to hug back as best as he could. Ever since his training had begun with his father, it had been less often that he got to see the family at Patch. Qrow trained him day and night at least four days of the week; more often than not, Jay found himself training out of habit every single day. Down time was seemingly less, especially when taking into account that he had to go to school as well. Today, he was blessed to have the weekend with them due to an assignment that demanded Qrow's attention.

Summer took the time to look the boy up and down. Even if he was only still a child, she could see just how much Qrow had worked the boy over. She could see just a few small scars wherever his clothes didn't cover his skin. If she had to bet, there was a great deal more scars that weren't visible immediately. What was also surprising was the strength that he was displaying from the hug. For a child, his strength was significant. The Q of team STRQ certainly hadn't slacked off when it came to Jay's work.

He carried no weapons with him, as the boy was dressed in a simple thin hoodie and blue jeans. His hair was cut shorter than what she was normally use to seeing; it looked like he had gotten a haircut recently.

Whatever Qrow was hoping that Jay was going to accomplish, she hoped it was well worth it. Jay needed a life outside of training. It was miracle that four years of intense training hadn't warped Jay's sense of family or his concept of fun. Perhaps she gave the boy less faith than what was warranted.

Summer began to commit into her mind. So maybe Qrow hadn't completely dampened out Jay's spirit.

"Hi, Aunt Summer," Jay smiled into the hug. "It's good to see you all."

"Did you come here yourself?" Summer bent down to eye level.

Jay shook his head. "Dad just dropped me off. Something about needing to go somewhere. Not sure where though."

It was just like Qrow to leave Jay and not even say hi to his teammates and his nieces. It had been like this ever since that argument. The huntsman kept conversations to a bare minimum with Summer and Taiyang. The fact that he even acknowledged them at all was amazing to the two parents.

Only moments later did the blond-haired boy find himself being tackled seemingly from all sides. His mind instantly realized that it was his cousins Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. The momentary reaction of surprise was replaced with a very genuine smile.

They were a sight for sore eyes.

"Jay-Jay," both sisters cried out.

Carefully, Jay brought both arms out to encircle the two of them, hugging them tightly. They were cousins technically speaking, but in actuality, they were siblings in each others' minds. How long had it been since he'd seen them? A few weeks? A few months? Longer?

It seemed like years since he'd last seen them. Training with his dad was more than a handful.

"Hey Sunfire, Rubster," he replied. "I haven't been gone that long have I?"

"It's been four months," Yang whined. "Like forever!"

So it had been that long? Why did it seem like much longer?

"Four months," he repeated. "Wow, I have been gone a while."

"We missed you so much," Ruby pressed her head into his shoulder. "I don't want you to leave us again."

"Well," Jay patted them both, "I can't stay forever, Rubster, but I've got two days. Gotta make the most of it."

Yang grinned. "How about you show us some more huntsman moves?"

Ruby lit up. "Yeah, I bet you've got some bomb moves!"

Jay looked really hesitant at this suggestion. It wasn't that he didn't think the two girls didn't have the spirit nor the heart to try some of the crazy stuff he did, but what he was training for was dangerous. Grimm and other evil people in the world were nothing to laugh at. It was serious work, and the last thing he wanted was to drag his sisters into the fire and get hurt, possibly even killed. These two meant so much to him, and the thought of losing them?

No, he wouldn't lose them.

His eyes flickered to Summer, who saw his instant apprehension, and the mother moved to make her own suggestion. It was clear that he needed a break from whatever it was that Qrow had been putting him through. It wasn't the girls' fault for bringing this up. Naturally the two of them were very much like their parents in that they gravitated towards huntsman-related things.

"Jay's been training hard with Uncle Qrow," Summer reminded the girls. "How about we give him a break from training?"

At the mention of Jay being trained by their uncle, both Ruby and Yang seemed to instantly understand what their mother was getting at. They both backed down from their previous thoughts in an instant.

"Okay," Both girls conceded.

"We can still play outside," Jay spoke. "No need to stay indoors. I kinda like being outside anyways."

He took the two girls by the hand and led them outside, and neither of them resisted him. Summer watched them go.

"Don't go too far," she called out. "And by back by lunch."

"Sure thing aunty," Jay called back. "We'll be safe."

She nodded in agreement. Jay always was a boy who kept both Yang and Ruby from harm. She knew how much he valued them in his life, which was considerable.

"You think he's going to stay like this?"

Summer looked over her shoulder to see Taiyang as he watched both his daughters and his nephew wander off into the lush woods. They were already laughing up quite the storm. Truly, it was a sight to beholden, the three of them being kids for once. Yang and Ruby did so love their time with Jay.

"I hope so Tai. Jay's so young. I still don't like what Qrow's doing."

"Neither do I, Summer," Taiyang frowned. "But it looks like Jay's got a stubborn will to not change. We should be thankful for that at least."

"It would seem so," the cloaked woman said. "And I'm quite grateful for that, but for how long will he be the way he is now?"

Taiyang looked to the children. "I don't know."

The sounds of shouting and crying from the woods could be heard. Neither parents were worried, because they had heard their daughters like this before. Good screams and bad screams could be distinguished. There weren't too many things that were dangerous in these woods. Grimm sightings on Patch were very rare.

"I pray that he doesn't go too far."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy, watched as Qrow Branwen entered the room and nodded to the scythe master. The man clearly wasn't in the best of moods, but the older man didn't comment on it. It would just make this conversation all the more drawn-out, and while Ozpin did enjoy conversations with a great deal of people, today wasn't one of those casual days.

Ozpin adjusted his glasses. "Qrow."

"Ozpin," was the response.

"You have something to report?"

Qrow took a frustrated breath. "Lead came up dead, Oz. I've got nothing new for you. I was almost compromised."

"Almost?"

"The agents laid a trap, waiting for me. I saw through it, but that meant not getting what we needed."

The headmaster of Beacon took a small sip from his cup and sat back in his chair. He wasn't disappointed in Qrow's progress report in the least. Ozpin knew exactly what sort of adversary he was dealing with. A monster was what she was, a very cunning and intelligent monster, but still a monster no matter how much he admired some of her traits. Qrow was one of the best active huntsman, so if the man hadn't been able to get what Ozpin sought, then it was unlikely anyone else could get it.

"Very well." The old man sat up again. "I don't believe that there's much more we can. Until I find another angle to attack from, we're back to where we began."

Qrow grunted to let Ozpin know he was listening. The atmosphere in the room was a mix of annoyance and calm all in one.

"You sound like you were expecting something else."

"I guess I was expecting you to already have that other angle. If she's as dangerous as you say, then we can't afford to dilly-dally while she plans."

"You know I don't enjoy this anymore than you do, Qrow, but I'm at a loss for information right now."

The caped man paced around the room, accepting Ozpin's words but not liking them one bit. It felt like a waste of time in some ways, coming here and having really nothing to show. The scythe master hated being empty-handed.

Qrow would've much preferred spending time with Jay. He didn't laugh any more at that thought, because it was true. He did truly enjoy the time with his kid. The boy looked to him as if her was the best man in the world. To the huntsman, who was looked at in a rather wary light by a lot of people in his line of work, that meant something immense. Even if he was far from the best man in the world, it was still a great feeling to him. He was ready to get that feeling for as long as he was able.

"You're sure she's lost the trail on the maidens?"

"I've bought the maidens time, but I can't be sure for how long. The queen has eyes and ears everywhere. At the very least, she can't find them the same way twice. Until we retrieve what we need, we're going to have to keep her guessing."

Any time they could have was more time they would use to figure out the next move. This was a deadly serious game.

"Was there anything else, Qrow?"

Silence filled the room as Qrow furrowed his brow as he considered if there was anything else to say that Ozpin cared about. To him, it seemed that the old man was testing him to see how he would respond to the question.

It wouldn't be the first time that Ozpin did this. Qrow had known what sort of person that the huntsman was. He was an enigma, but a very thoughtful person; he wouldn't be the headmaster of the most prestigious huntsman academy in all of Remnant if he wasn't intelligent. Still, the old man was more than smart. He was beyond that.

The reason Qrow hadn't told Ozpin about Jay was because the boy was still spreading his wings, learning how to better harness his semblance. He was skilled certain, more so than any "normal" kid training to be a huntsman, but for Ozpin to know now, it would be a serious game changer.

With someone like Jay, Ozpin would no doubt see potential to use the boy as someone to help Qrow on missions. Kids like Jay were one in a few generations, very rare, on par with the rarity of silver eyes. The huntsman knew this and had sought to condition the boy physically but also mentally. To start from such an early would prevent other more undesirables from corrupting him and using him.

It wasn't that Jay couldn't defend himself. Qrow had seen first-hand what the kid was capable of doing. Four years had seen a lot of progress, more than Qrow had ever expected. Their spars had all but stopped being about how long Jay would hold out; it was now about if Jay was going on the offensive or defensive. A very healthy aura level coupled with a unique semblance and a keen mind made for one deadly prodigy.

They still trained with wooden swords as Qrow decided that Jay wouldn't get a weapon until at least another five more years. That would be when he would be old enough to enter Signal Academy. He would build a weapon there like every kid who went through the combat school as was required, which was hardly the most trying task.

Arguably the biggest change in Jay was a sense of responsibility to people all around. While unexpected, it wasn't unwelcome in Qrow's eyes. He would need such commitment in order to succeed.

But for all of the successes that had come out of training Jay, there was one thing Qrow was still worried about. The kid was still very much an idealist, wanting to be a hero, and becoming a huntsman seemed the ideal way for Jay to become that hero.

Qrow wanted to beat that idealism down as soon as possible. Being a huntsman wasn't about being a hero. It was about killing Grimm, plain and simple. It was also about doing things that no one else would be willing to do. It meant going against the general moral compass of society, performing acts that were unspeakable in nature but were necessary in order for there to be quiet in the world.

Quiet was what he saw the world as of right now. Peace was a lie that everyone told themselves was possible, a fairy tale that would never be achieved as long as Mankind remained as they were. It was an admirable thing to strive for and at the same time a foolish thing to strive for. How does one achieve peace when nobody is willing to change in order for there to be actual peace?

To make a long answer short? Peace isn't achievable, and thus the only thing one could ever hope to achieve was quiet, the closest thing to peace, and to achieve it by whatever means necessary. Jay wasn't like Qrow in personality, and he likely wouldn't ever be so long as they continued as they were. If Jay was going to be put into the right mindset, he would need to be shown the world. He knew he would feel better if Jay was prepared for bad things to happen rather than caught off guard and then warped forever by a potentially traumatic event.

Was Jay ready to become a true huntsman?

Only time would tell.

That answered Qrow's doubts about telling Ozpin.

"There is something else," Qrow lifted his head.

Ozpin pushed his glasses further against the bridge of his nose and put his hands together in front of him. Qrow pushed down any further thoughts of resistance before it took over again. This was for the better.

"… I've taken on a prodigy… a boy…"

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

It had been a long day for all three of the kids; Taiyang and Summer had seen Yang and Ruby to bed. He was now about to see Jay off to bed as well. He was going to sleep in the guest room.

The father of two daughters couldn't help but wonder just how Qrow had taken to raising Jay since the two of them had begun his training. Qrow was nothing like Summer or Taiyang in personality. He and Raven were so alike in many ways, though Qrow wasn't as extreme in ideology as Raven. Even if Qrow wasn't exactly a liked person, he was at least approachable to most people. His sister on the other hand was far from approachable to anyone. Raven was dangerous to the bone.

Taiyang had occasionally thought about Raven, but he supposed he knew now why she did what she had. Their clashing personalities probably wouldn't have worked out as well in the long run. Still, he was unhappy with her decision to leave without notifying any of them. Taiyang doubted that he'd ever give her such a warm welcome if she even cared to see them again, which he didn't think she ever would.

In any case, so far, he hadn't seen anything that showed the mannerisms of Qrow Branwen, but Jay was young still, and he had a great deal of time to continue growing. Who was to to say that he wouldn't change?

Taiyang opened the door to see Jay wasn't in bed as he thought the boy would be, but he was glowing with a bright white aura surrounding him. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he began to shape the aura and control it. The huntsman had seen this before in his time at Beacon and as a teacher at Signal.

It was a technique used to form aura constructs of different objects. The most experienced or the most talented users of aura could form weapons of aura that acted just like any normal weapon, but it was a technique that expended so much energy that most didn't even bother to use it much. If Jay was using it now, he must have quite a large aura reserve.

"I see you've been working hard," Taiyang stepped into the room.

"Uncle Tai," Jay looked surprised. "Sorry, I was gonna get to sleep in a minute. Just wanted to practice some aura. Dad's been trying to teach me this one."

"That's a rather difficult thing to do Jay. Don't overdo it, or you'll strain yourself."

"Sure," the boy acknowledged.

It was then that Summer came into the room. When she spotted how the two of them were positioned as well as Jay practicing aura, her eyes piqued in curiosity.

"Am I interrupting," she asked.

"No," Taiyang shook his head. "Just giving some pointers. Qrow apparently has been teaching Jay how to form physical representations with aura."

A look of worry etched onto Summer's face at that comment. She immediately went to Jay's side to see for herself. Just as Tai had said, Jay was doing just that.

"Aunty?"

"Jay, be careful. This is a very hard thing to do."

So Taiyang wasn't the only one who shared concern. Jay may not be Qrow personality-wise, but he certainly was Qrow in pushing himself to learn more and to gain more skills and experience. That was worry in itself because Qrow learned best through very laborious methods, sometimes ones that risked causing him serious harm.

"I'm fine," Jay assured. "I wasn't planning on doing anything that hard. Just a dip in the water."

"Just the same," Summer advised. "Please do exercise caution."

Jay looked up to her. "Sorry."

She kneeled to his level and looked him in the eye, her hands on his shoulders, her eyes staring into his. Already one of his eyes morphed into a silver eye at Summer's contact, this time his left eye changing.

"It's okay," she smiled. "It's just this isn't something you should learn until you're at least in a combat school."

"But that's so long away."

"Not as long as you think."

Jay was still a kid in many ways despite having lost some of the things that made him a kid. Both Taiyang and Summer saw the same sort of reactions from their daughters on a normal basis.

"But seriously, Jay," Summer reiterated. "Don't bite off more than you can chew. The last thing that we want is for you to get hurt. Yang and Ruby wouldn't like that."

Jay looked to the ground; he appeared to be ashamed of himself. Hurting Ruby or Yang was something he didn't like one bit.

"I'm sorry, aunty, uncle. I just wanna to make dad proud. He's said one day I'll go to Signal Academy and I can be like him."

That instantly got a reaction from both of the adults in the room. Qrow was planning on enrolling Jay into Signal? Just what in the living hell was the man trying to do with the boy? Qrow was many things, but being a planner wasn't among the things he was most noted for. For him to be thinking this far ahead was so uncommon. Whatever was going on was big, really big.

"Did I say something?"

"No, Jay," Tai stepped forward. "It's just… we're surprised."

Jay's face twisted in confusion. "Didn't dad tell you guys? Doesn't he tell you guys about what we do?"

"No," Summer admitted. "Not as of late. He's been busy, so it might've slipped his mind, so we didn't know until now."

If Jay were older, he might've instantly picked up on the tone of their voices indicating that they were hiding something more. Instead, he just thought that perhaps that his dad was indeed very busy. Teaching seemed like a lot of work.

"In any case," Summer said. "We're excited for you, but you've got years ahead of you, Jay."

Jay tilted his head. "I do."

"And the first thing to do is to get some sleep." Taiyang motioned to the bed. "A huntsman needs his sleep."

Jay followed the man's instructions and quickly got under the sheets. He didn't seem to have a problem with keeping the sheets neat, immediately ruffling around to get comfortable.

"Sweet dreams," Summer kissed the top of his head.

Even though his eyes closed in that moment,

She held Jay's hand for a moment before moving to let Taiyang ruffle his hair a little bit. The left momentarily shined blue before receding back into the boy's normal eye color. The two of them turned to leave the room. Before they closed the door, they turned one last time to look at him.

"Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm okay."

"Okay then. G'night."

"Night night."

The door closed and the two hunters stared at each other.

"What is Qrow thinking?" Taiyang bit his lips.

"I intend to find out." Summer pulled out her scroll. "And he'd better have a good explanation."

Carrying themselves back to their room, they both waited to see if Qrow would answer. Summer couldn't even be sure that he would even do that.

After four rings, the call was finally answered.  
"What!?"

Definitely Qrow.

"Explain Qrow!"

"Explain what, Summer?"

"What's your reason for enrolling Jay so early into Signal Academy? And don't you even think about bullshitting me. I'll know."

Taiyang took a gulp of air and then held it. Tension hadn't been this high between teammates in a long time.

"… Jay's being hunted."

"What?"

"About seven months ago," Qrow explained. "There was an incident. Someone tried to kidnap Jay. Had to take down the tough bastard. Got him to talk. He said something about a hunt that'll never stop."

Taiyang looked mad. "And why didn't you tell us about this? We could've helped! We could've done something!"

"And drag Yang and Ruby into it too?" Qrow demanded. "Do you really want them involved in this?"

"We can protect our own," Summer barked. "And Jay is family! We don't leave family behind!"

"This isn't something you guys can help me with." Qrow's hand slammed onto a nearby desk. "Jay's training has to continue...and Ozpin knows about all of this, and he told me not to get you guys involved."

"You can't-"

"Too late," Qrow shrugged. "No amount of begging is going to change that."

...

"Why you," she trembled. "Why you-"

"I'm not sorry," Qrow retorted. "So don't expect an apology. And this is the last visit for Jay. Once I get him, that's it. The end. Yang and Ruby don't see him again until further notice."

Their battle brother didn't even bother to let them answer to his last words and he hung up the call without so much as a goodbye. Summer had broken down into a sob. Taiyang wanted to do some of his own mourning as well, but his protective instinct went into action and he embraced her. She didn't waste a moment and crushed herself into him.

No more Jay after this…

No more Jay after this…

Taiyang could say the words, but he still couldn't believe them.

* * *

 **So that just happened. This is no happy moment, but don't quite give up hope yet. Jay/Jaune is one persistent character. It's going to take a lot before his will breaks, but just how much is a lot?**

 **This is a longer chapter, but I don't know if it'll be consistent at 4,000 words. I suppose I'll just write chapters to whatever length I see fit.**

 **Despite this being a story about Arkos, this is also a story that focuses on the relationship between Qrow and Jay/Jaune as well. Both relationships are integral to the story.**

 **Anyway, let me know in a review what you guys thought about this chapter. Good, bad, whatever's got you in the mood to write a review. Apologies for any potential grammar problems that you see.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, you can't test courage cautiously.**

 **Peace!**


	4. Chapter 4: What it Takes to Break

Chapter 4: What it Takes to Break

 **4 Years Later…**

Jay blinked. "You know I'm not allowed into a bar, right dad?"

Qrow turned his head to look at Jay.

"You're old enough, Jay. I'm not getting you a drink. You're just there at my side. Anyone wants to give you trouble will answer to me. And there's always the groin shot. Works every time."

Jay opened his mouth to argue further, but found himself unable to come up with anything more to say. He was twelve years old, nowhere near old enough to buy a drink from anywhere on Remnant, not unless he used force to coerce a bartender. The only reason he knew what alcohol tasted like was that Qrow let him drink small cups of it. He wouldn't admit it verbally, but Jay didn't hate the taste.

What would aunt Summer and uncle Taiyang say to that?

 _They'd probably lecture me about the dangers of alcoholism. What I wouldn't give to see them again._

Jay felt this slight bulge of his pocket watch. It was more than a thing to tell him the time. It also held the picture of Taiyang, Summer, Yang, and Ruby. Four years had passed and not once had he seen them. The only thing he could manage to get to them was through letters. Qrow allowed only a letter every six months.

From what he knew, Yang was training with her dad to be a huntress. It was just like the elder sister; she was the adventurer, the daredevil, the risk-taker. Ruby, she still wasn't sure what she was doing. He wished her well regardless.

Taiyang and Summer were more or less okay, but Jay got the feeling that they still weren't on good terms with Qrow. With maybe a few words exchanged over the course of his isolated training, there didn't seem to be any hint of reconciliation.

In any case, Jay wouldn't be drinking anything this bar sold. He was just going to be there. This bar said that no one above the age of twenty could enter. It was unfortunate that Qrow Branwen, one of the best huntsman on the planet didn't listen to rules every now and then.

They approached the door, and the bouncer took note of them and immediately stopped them.

"I'm sorry sir," he said, "But the child can't come in."

"Do you know who I am?" Qrow crossed his arms.

"Qrow Branwen," the man answered. "And the answer is still no."

Jay shook his head in frustration at seeing just where this conversation was about to go. People who refused Qrow should never do so. Anyone who didn't know this single thing would learn it.

This man was going to learn the hard way. Jay stepped back a bit to give space in case it got to… that point.

Monty Oum above, he hoped it wouldn't happen.

The bouncer stiffened when Qrow put an arm around his shoulders. "You ever the stories about me taking down Grimm hordes in seconds? Might be a fan favorite? Or better yet, you ever hear what happens when I'm denied alcohol?"

The man was clearly become more and more uncomfortable as Qrow droned on. It was wrong, and it was terrible, but he had to genuinely struggle to hold in his laugh. His dad had a habit of using these sort of tactics to get people to do what he wanted.

Qrow grinned. "Oh, you'll love this one. There was this mission that got seriously screwed up, and I needed a drink to dampen my anger. When I didn't get what I wanted, I may have used my aura to break a few arms. Can't remember how many got hurt."

Just a few of theses tails were clearly bullshit, but nobody had to know that. There were inklings of truth to what Qrow was saying. It was merely exaggerating the truth, and maybe one day those exaggerations would actually come to life. It was the way of the Qrow to make himself more truthful so he had more to work with.

"There was also this other time," Qrow recalled. "I think I-"

"Sir," the bouncer strained, "I think I got it the first time. Just… go in, but be prepared to face consequences."

The moment the words left the mouth of the bouncer, Qrow released the man and motioned for Jay to follow, to which the boy responded, giving the bouncer only a glance, but not with any pity or apology. More like indifference.

Clearly people with balls were lacking.

Qrow made sure that Jay was within sight at all times, because even if Jay could perform some pretty intense cheap shots, he was still an apprentice in training. He didn't even have a weapon yet, relying solely on martial skills as well as aura. That left the boy at a serious disadvantage.

That would all change once Jay enrolled at Signal Academy. He was overqualified to enter the school and because Qrow was already a teacher there, it was a guaranteed entry ticket.

For now, the reason they were at a bar?

Tomorrow, they were about to go on a field mission together. These things Qrow found were the greatest teachers for any aspiring warrior. All the training in the world didn't do much good if they weren't applied to the various situations that life presented.

Qrow sat down at the bar, and Jay took the seat next to his father, eyeing the man with curiosity.

"How many tonight," Jay inquired.

Qrow turned to Jay. "Three. I can't afford to be too hammered. This is kind of a serious mission."

"Most of our missions are," Jay remarked, "And that doesn't always stop you."

"Call it my gut instinct," Qrow insisted. "But I've got a feeling something's really up this time."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, old man. Just make sure to take a breath mint after you drown yourself."

Qrow glared at this, and Jay replied with a sly smirk. To anyone else looking at this conversation, it would appear to be a best frienemies sort of thing, and it was in a way. Jay and Qrow had grown to playfully insult each other.

"I dunno," Qrow downed his first drink, "This old man might need help getting up tomorrow. You know how old people are. Can't do shit on their own."

"How you've survived this long," Jay quipped, "I'll never know. Maybe the Grimm were so repulsed by your breath they turned tail."

Jay would call Qrow an asshole and not feel sorry about it, because he was an asshole to everyone. That was who he was, even to those that he cared about.

It was very hard for Qrow to be sappy.

Very hard.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jay changed into his night clothes as he prepared for bed. Qrow had rented out a room with two beds in a motel for the night. It was fortunate that his dad wasn't too badly buzzed otherwise talking to the receptionist would be a hassle.

Qrow chose not change into any other clothes, simply sleeping in his regular clothes. Jay opted to do the same thing, that and shower a bit.

Jay's blue eyes looked at his reflection in the mirror, and he stared at himself. There were a few scars along his jawline, hardly visible to the fleeting eye, which constituted a lot of people. Yet those same people seemed to think scars were awesome to have either for bragging rights or to add to the so-called good looks.

The blond boy didn't think scars were anything worth fawning over. It was just a stupid obsession propelled by media.

Jay's build was athletic, even if he was only twelve years old. Qrow had been adamant that he grow a certain way. Bulky muscles, the huntsman said were not the way to go. The way to go was more muscle in a small space. Having strength and speed both was a hard thing to reach considered it was often the case that one was traded for the other.

He was well muscled, but still retained a slim body. It was a build he was happy with.

That was enough staring at himself. Jay still had a great deal of growing to do. He was just getting into puberty, and so far, it was a bit of a bitch. Between Qrow's version of "the talk" and learning about some of the stuff himself, he wished he could skip to the end and be done with it.

He turned off the light, lightly feeling the few drops of water still in his hair from the recent shower he had taken.

He entered the main room to find Qrow's eyes were focused on his scroll as he typed away. Jay could see the screen, noticing that a chat conversation was in play, and an important one at that if his dad's face was any indication.

With nothing better to do, Jay reached for the remote and turned on the television built in the room. With much boredom, he switched between channels, not really finding anything worth spending time to watch.

There was news about the White Fang, again about another protest that went sour due to Human prejudice and racism. Jay had heard this story so many times and he began to wonder just what the Faunus group was hoping to do by continuing to be like they were. On one hand, Jay felt sympathetic to the Faunus part of the White Fang. On the other hand, Jay wasn't impressed either. One didn't get results by holding up signs.

Another news channel was about the Schnee Dust Company promoting new programs to better the production of dust. Jay huffed in annoyance at this announcement, because he didn't like the name Schnee. They may have the press eating out of the palms of their hands, but Jay wasn't fooled by such displays. The SDC had problems internally, a lot of problems, and this was merely to cover some of those issues. It was just a dressing action.

Another channel showed children cartoons, something that Jay hadn't watched since he was six years old: Grimm-Man. The blond was less interested about the fighting and more interested about the character of Hunter Parker, a teenager with a lot of things going on in his life.

Jay then frowned, shutting off the screen and sighing loudly. Watching television didn't satisfy him as much as he wanted it to.

"Nothing good on," Qrow asked.

Jay shrugged. "Depends on your definition of good, though you'd be stupid to think there's anything good on."

Qrow looked thoughtful for a moment, and then as if struck by lightning, he got an idea. He once again activated his scroll and quickly tapped a few words. Jay then felt his own scroll buzz, and he went to see what his dad had sent him.

When he opened the alert, he was greeted with a single message.

 _Request from GrimmReaper04 to play chess._

Jay's eyes flickered up. "You sure your screws are on?"

"I'm sober enough," Qrow dismissed. "Besides, you have a better chance at winning now that I'm partially inebriated."

Jay chose not to respond to Qrow, instead just accepting the request and letting the game begin. The boy took white pieces while the huntsman took black pieces. Qrow pulled a coin from his pocket and displayed it to Jay.

"Tails," Jay said.

Qrow expertly flicked the coin on the nearby coffee table, and both pair of eyes turned to watch the coin as it spun rapidly, then began to slow, then come to a loud stop on the side of heads.

Qrow simply made a move with his pawn two spaces forward, opening the way for his king. That was the obvious move, but Jay looked and also realized instantly that the bishop and queen were also free to move.

Jay chose not to open his king to attack by moving a pawn to center. Instead, he opted to move one of his pawns closer to the edge. He was also careful not to leave important pieces too exposed either. Jay's best piece was the rook, and he could work wonders with it.

Qrow moved to position his queen piece in a place where the only thing between Jay's king was a single pawn. A pressure point.

Jay should remember that Qrow wasn't one of the best huntsman for nothing. The man was already planning potential moves he could make as long as the blond boy didn't play certain moves. Looking carefully at the board, he decided to position his knight in order to defend the pawn that he'd already played out.

Qrow disregarded the move and played his bishop in a way to position himself to target the same pawn that his queen was taunting. Jay's eyes darted back and forth on the board, discerning every single attack vector that put his king at risk.

Jay moved the pressured pawn forward, ensuring a trap should Qrow be so kind as to fall for it, which the man was not.

This was going to be a long game.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

It was an early morning when Qrow and Jay had set out, still early morning, with only the dawn of the day just seeping into the sky. Their sleep was what they needed, not too much and not too little. They made sure they were both ready and then they set out.

They would soon be crossing the walls that separated civilization from the Grimm wilds. Once out there, there would be no help coming for them. They had to rely upon each other solely. To anyone else but them that would've sounded really bad. Qrow as a reliable person? It didn't click for most people.

With the visibility low, both of them had to keep extremely quiet, using very minimal light sources to find their way. Neither of them had night vision, making their limited light source all the more important.

Qrow gripped his weapon tight as he looked for signs of Grimm. The easiest ways to find them were to find signs of life. At their very core, discounting the unnatural hatred they had for Humans and Faunus were still animals. They acted like them in all ways, and that meant looking for clues of feeding grounds, sleeping places, territory marks, everything a normal animal would do.

The only real obvious signs were Beowolves that looked to be hunting in packs for fresh meat that day. The remains of a half-eaten carcass was the evidence.

"How recent," Jay bent down to touch the dried blood, rubbing it between his hands. "It looks like the blood's dried up, and for a while now."

"I'd give it a day, maybe two or three," Qrow answered. "Hard to tell though. This could've easily been disturbed in that time frame."

"Grimm concentration has to have been thinned out." Jay crossed his arms. "If the target's around here and is still here."

"Not necessarily," Qrow rose, "Remember, Jay not all people think the Grimm are evil. You forget your semblance."

"But I can't control Grimm," Jay reminded his father.

Qrow regarded him. "But you can befriend them, and that's arguably just as good as enslaving."

"Is there a point?" Jay didn't like where this was going. Qrow might have a reason for bringing him here.

"Not yet," Qrow spoke. "What we're doing here might be for nothing. I don't know. It's a longshot, but one that might just be worth it."

"What longshot?"

Qrow motioned for Jay to continue to follow alongside him. Their walk through the woods continued as the huntsman began to elaborate on his words.

"You remember what I told you about the four seasonal maidens?"

Jay's brow furrowed. "What about it? It's a story, a legend, nothing to it."

"It's a true story," Qrow stated.

The two of them stood eying each other. Jay looked into Qrow's eyes to see if the man was playing some trick or lying in any way. He was always good at telling if people were truthful or not. What he saw was nothing but a truth.

And his dad was a very skeptical person indeed. Nothing short of proof in his face would convince him something outlandish in nature was real. So if he said that the four maidens did exist, then they were undoubtedly real.

Surprise to Jay?

Strangely enough, not really. His dad dealt with some really crazy things as a huntsman. What's another crazy thing to add to the pile?

"So let me get this straight," Jay sighed. "There are four women in this world, who can wield, what, magic?"

"Something like that," Qrow nodded.

"And I suppose this fairy tale has to do with finding one of them right now?"

"In a way," Qrow continued. "The Fall Maiden was recently killed, and her powers were taken. We're here to see if we can take them back."

Jay for the first time in the entire conversation actually lit up in more than interest, but mild anxiousness.

"We," Jay asked incredulously, "Didn't you say once that the maidens have unimaginable power, or something along those lines?"

Qrow seemed annoyed. "Yes, they have a lot of power, but even maidens can be killed, as I've just said."

"So are we going for a kill," Jay hesitantly inquired.

"We may have to, Jay. Better the power go to someone else than to who has it now."

"Dad-"

Qrow stopped walking to face his son. The boy shut his mouth, expecting a scolding. It wouldn't be the first time, and it wouldn't be the last if their relationship said anything.

"Kid, I don't like doing this any more than you do, but sometimes, we gotta get our hands dirty, because if we don't then who will?" Qrow asked the question, but Jay already knew the answer.

"Nobody else." His answer was barely audible.

The wind rustled around them. Both of them stood at odds with one another. Four years of intensified discipline and training still hadn't completely beaten out the naivety of Jay. He still fretted about crossing moral lines, questioned if there were any alternatives. Sometimes his attempts at finding a less violent solution came off as desperate.

Qrow remained unmoved. "Jay, you must always be prepared to kill as a huntsman. Grimm are just one problem in the world. People are the other problem."

"Can't we just get them to change?" Jay was searching for something to say, anything but what Qrow wanted him to say. "Why must it always be like this?"

"Some minds won't change," the huntsman intoned. "Some people won't change, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can be a huntsman."

…

The sound of a Grimm instantly destroyed any more conversation as both of them readied for battle. From the sounds of it, an Ursa was coming their way, and maybe a few Beowolves to add to it. Jay was more than capable of taking down Beowolves and Qrow could take out Ursa no sweat.

Jay held his fists into a ready stance. Because he had no weapon to use, he had to be more adept in hand-to-hand combat. He wished that Uncle Taiyang could teach him unarmed combat. He was good at that. Maybe Yang or Ruby would learn a bit from him.

"Split," Qrow ordered. "You know what to do."

Two two of them separated from each other. Qrow brandished his blade, taking casual swings at the Ursa as it tried to swipe him. It was a big one, an Ursa major, but Qrow didn't once falter in his movements nor his thoughts. It didn't take long to expose the Ursa's extremely slow attacks to climb onto its back and impale it through the neck, then flicking the head off.

Jay had taken to taking down the Beowolves. The second he closed in on the first one, the moment his hands grabbed its head, this time his right eye shifted from its natural blue color to the empty red of a Grimm. The Beowolves instantly stopped their aggressive behaviors towards him. This allowed him to use his aura to augment his strength enough to decapitate the head. The Grimm remained unable to attack him as he touched each of them and took them down.

The second wave of Grimm in the form of a single King Taijitu, which hissed in a challenge. Qrow motioned for Jay to get back to his side.

"Plan?" Jay looked to Qrow.

"Comet," Qrow simply said.

"Fun," the boy grinned slightly.

Qrow flicked the control and allowed his scythe to show itself. The huntsman moved forward while the huntsman in training moved backwards. When they were a considerable distance from each other. Jay began to run forward again, gaining more speed as used aura to enhance his speed. The King Taijitu moved forward intent on tearing its foes to bits and then scattering the remains far and wide.

The moment before Jay reached Qrow, the man held the scythe in a way that allowed Jay to grab the very edge of the deadly blade with his hands. Qrow then began to spin the scythe in a single circle, gaining even more momentum to add to Jay. Five seconds later, Jay released himself from the spinning whirlwind and straight for the black head of the Grimm.

His momentum was so much that heat gathered around him. Even with a reinforced head, the head was still no match for the speed and Jay forced a hard aura shield in front of him, and obliterated the head as he smashed into it.

The second head didn't have time to comprehend what had happened as Qrow leaped into the air, bringing down his scythe onto the Grimm.

The body instantly began to disintegrate at the efforts made. Not even bothering to watch the dust fly away, Qrow jogged up to Jay.

"Still alive, kid?"

"Aside from some minor burns, I'm fine."

The shadow of a Nevermore flew over them. Both of their head snapped up in that instant. No time for a break it would seem.

"Does Grimm control come with the maiden powers?" Jay clenched his fists. "It's like these Grimm already knew we were here and were ordered to attack."

"Not a maiden power," Qrow shook his head, "But the woman's own power. Whether natural or not, I can't be sure."

Both of them rolled out of the way of feathers accurately aimed through even the thick foliage of the forest. Jay saw another on his tail. He gathered a concentrated amount of aura into his fist. He stood his ground as the feather sliced its way towards him. At the last moment, he pulled his fist and allowed the aura to make contact with the tip of the black projectile. It fell into dust.

"Jay! Come on!"

Qrow was already turning tail to run out of the forest. They both needed to get into a more open area to open themselves up for attack. It would also mean the Nevermore could attack them more easily, but there wasn't a choice, unless they wanted to waste more time.

The thing that Qrow hated more than anything else.

Jay felt his muscles burn a bit as they ran through the forest, every so often getting by obstacles and also avoiding feather fire.

Then they came upon a hillside clearing, more than enough space for a Nevermore to land and attack if it so desire. With this one, it wasn't certain to say. Qrow was nowhere near his limit in fighting, but Jay was drained a bit. He was still on his feet, but couldn't keep up as long as his father.

The blond took a ragged breath. "Now what?"

"Stay here," Qrow mumbled. "Wait for the signal."

Jay didn't need any more to tell him what Qrow had in mind, but now was the time to step back and give the pro some space.

Qrow charged this time without Jay following him. The boy watched as the two opponents grappled with each other. It wouldn't be too difficult to clip the Nevermore, and Jay expected it to be done very quickly.

Even with his limited experience with Grimm of this class, Jay knew that something was instantly wrong when it became clear that it was taking too long. Qrow was now grappling with the bird-like Grimm as they fought in the sky.

"It should always be easy," Jay spoke.

"Then you are a fool to believe victory so easy."

Jay's head swerved and he readied himself for combat. What he saw made him pause in confusion. The voice he heard was clearly that of a woman. She had charcoal-black hair, amber eyes that looked like miniature suns, a blood-red dress with that Jay guessed was dust-lined. She stood much taller than he did.

She didn't look to be that old. Qrow was certainly the older one. She was beautiful, almost impossibly so. Jay had been honed by natural skill and his semblance and always managed to detect flaws in even the best of beauty. This was unnaturally perfect. Her looks had to another attempt to throw him off. His mind struggled to stop himself from looking too much at her.

But that wasn't what caught her attention. What did catch his attention was the clear power that radiated from her. It was so alien, so unlike anything Jay had ever sensed through aura. Even with his semblance, he could pick up something distinct, unknowable.

A woman with alien powers.

The Fall Maiden.

Jay narrowed his eyes. "You've got the fall maiden powers."

"Observant," she smirked viciously, "But it won't matter when you're dead."

Her eyes glowed with red-hot deadly intent. Jay's body went into overdrive as he dodged her first fireball. The heat hurt him even though it failed to strike him directly; the heat, so much of it radiated off.

She wanted to kill him? Why did she want to kill him? What possible threat could a twelve-year-old boy have against her?

Questions later, attack now.

Jay moved forward to try and grapple with her, and she traded physical blows and retaliated with her own moveset. She was fast, strong, and experienced. He clearly wasn't on the same league let alone level.

The burns he'd already sustained in the fight against the King Taijitu were only further brought to pain as he exposed himself to dangerous temperatures. Jay felt himself swept off his feet by a strong fist to his midsection. He then felt something hard against his face. He fell to the grass, coughing.

He rose and saw blood dripping to the ground from somewhere on his face. Determined to get up and fight, he found himself on all four again, his chest burning. Despite his wounds, he wasn't given even a moment to recover. He could only manage to raise his head as he felt himself being slammed again.

 _Get up,_ Jay yelled at himself, _Can't go down like a wimp. Die with pride._

"It's amusing watching you try so hard to make your father impressed," her grin turned to an expression of hatred. "It's also pathetic that you adhere to the ways of a drunk fool."

Against his will, Jay's head was brought to look her in the eye by the woman's hand. Her grip wasn't gentle at all. The pain was slowly becoming so much it was a numbing sensation. He was probably losing blood more than he realized.

"Nothing to say, boy," she taunted. "I understand. Your guardian, he's gotten you into things that too far above you."

Jay glared as best he could. He was afraid and he didn't try to hide this fact, but just because he was afraid didn't mean that he couldn't be defiant in the face of death.

It was also then that his semblance began to work as her hand continued to hold his head up. His left eye this time turned to the same deadly amber color as her own. This seemed to only make her more pleased and she didn't once relinquish her hold on him.

Jay's felt his mind flood with so many thing at once. Pain, misery, death, cruelty, suffering, torture. This woman, Cinder Fall was her name. She was the cause of so much evil, unlike anything he'd ever seen before in anyone.

Jay screamed and forcefully rejected Cinder's soul from his own. Too much, so much more than he could withstand. His physical pain was all but forgotten as he collapsed to the ground, still trying to comprehend that moment of connection. He didn't even care to see Cinder ready a fireball, ready to kill him.

Her hands held the energy, and she narrowed her eyes at him, firing the energy at him. Jay still did nothing to stop her.

But he did know he was going to die.

He closed his eyes, and still somehow finding the strength in himself to raise his aura. It was a fruitless action, but he still did it.

Only the fireball never struck him, but instead an explosion that hurled the boy several meters. He tumbled along the grass, gritting in pain at each obstacle that jabbed his wounds. His mental pain forgotten for a moment, he finally found the encouragement to rise.

"Get up," Jay grumbled, "Get. Up."

Jay was unsteady, and he was hurt, and what aura he did have left was spent now healing his wounds. His head scanned around him.

Where it appeared that he and Cinder stood was now a crater of black. Where was she? She couldn't possibly be hurt just like that.

And nearby, there was Qrow, sprawled out on the ground.

"DAD!"

Jay sprinted faster than he had ever done in his life. No amount of impairments would stop him. Once he was by Qrow's side, he fell to his knees.

His entire attire was torn and shredded. Moreover, it appears that the blast had done severe damage.

"Dad," Jay began to feel tears, "Get up. Come on, we gotta go!"

"Jay," Qrow managed, "I'm so sorry."

Jay's head shook frantically "No, you're fine. I can give you aura. I-"

"Aura gone," Qrow managed. "Can't go on."

"No," Jay pleaded, "Please, you can't. D-don't leave me like this!"

The emotional turmoil was so powerful it could be touched in the air. Jay's right eye turned red as he made contact with Qrow.

"Jay," Qrow's words were weak, but Jay didn't speak over him. "Take...Ebon Reach. Use it well."

"B-but I can't wield a scythe."

"Yes...you...can. You can...do anything. Semblance."

Jay clasped his hands onto Qrow's left hand. "W-why? I-I'm n-not w-worth it. I-I'm-"

"You," Qrow wheezed, "Always...come...first."

Jay's eyes widened. The words, they were the best words to hear and the worst words to hear now. It was truly a hopeless situation, and yet through the connection, the blond boy could find something to hold onto.

"I love you dad," he whispered. "So much."

"Forever and always kid," Qrow smiled a genuine smile, his last one. "That won't change."

"Never?"

"Never."

Qrow closed his eyes, took in a few breaths, then ceased to move entirely. Jay clamped his hands into fists, his head bowing down.

His father, the person he trusted the most in his life, was dead.

Gone.

Qrow was gone.

Forever.

He wasn't coming back.

"How touching!"

Jay looked up to see Cinder who had returned it seemed to finish the job. She looked like she had sustained injuries surprisingly. It appeared that Qrow had done more damage than he'd seen.

Jay opened his eyes again, but the red from one of his eyes hadn't faded at all. He eyed Ebon Reach out of the corner of his eye.

"You," he seethed.

"What will you do now, Jay Branwen?" Cinder stood there, elegant and threatening.

Jay found himself running on automatic as he dashed forward, taking Cinder by surprise; his attack actually managed to stun her, but he chose not to continue attacking, instead reaching closing the distance and grabbing Ebon Reach in his hands.

He wouldn't be able to last long in a fight seeing as his injuries were catching up to him. He could see the faintest of black along his sightline.

The few times that he had wielded Ebon Reach were not experiences that he was proud of. For one thing, the weapon was too big for him to wield properly. For another thing, it weighed a lot more than he was use to carrying. For yet another thing, it wasn't his weapon, at least not moments ago. He was far from a scythe master.

Yet somehow right now, he felt just fine using it, like he'd been doing it his entire life.

Jay switched to shotgun mode and began blasting away, to which Cinder held a hand to block his bullets.

"You're on your last limb," Cinder observed, "It would be so much easier for you to just give up. You're already dead."

"I won't die afraid," Jay cried.

Cinder was slightly impressed. "Then you will die braver than most."

Instead of throwing fireballs at him, she unleashed a single torrent of flame, endless, and it looked like she had the energy to sustain it indefinitely. Jay could evade for maybe a few moments before he was caught in its effect. His right leg became burnt badly, and he fell to the ground again.

His aura was in the red now. Any more, and he'd be dead.

Well, it was a good run while it lasted.

He wouldn't even live to know his own death as he was consumed by unconsciousness. The last thing he heard was the sound of another explosion.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jay awoke.

But there wasn't a dreamscape nor any indication of any sort of divine or hellish place. It was just a hospital bed.

Jay jerked awake, throwing the sheets off of himself. He looked down at himself. He had been changed out of his old attire and into a simple hoodie and jeans. He felt no pain of any kind physically.

What happened?

Qrow…

"Do not cry," a voice commanded.

Jay's eyes went to the place where the voice came from. He wasn't surprised to hear the voice because for one thing, he had seen her before, knew who she was.

"Hello Raven," he mumbled.

Jay didn't really like Aunty Raven much, because firstly thing, she wasn't around to even see him or her daughter Yang for that matter. Secondly, he didn't like her as a person. She was so different than everyone else, so distant, so cold.

"Why'd you bring me here," Jay demanded, "Why not just let me die? When did you care about me?"

"I don't," she answered, "But there are people who do care about you. Qrow wouldn't want you to go down with him. He made his choice."

"That's it," he growled, "That's all you have to say to your brother's death? He made his choice!?"

Raven wasn't moved. "Qrow's gone, and no amount of crying and mourning will bring him back."

Jay gritted his teeth. Clearly she wasn't here to talk about Qrow. "What the hell is going on? Why am I here?"

"Someone wants to talk to you," Raven lowered her head to the floor.

Before he could demand a more specific answer, he looked to the door and saw someone enter. He was an old man with grey-white hair. He was tall, somewhere around Qrow's height, and fit-looking. He wore a pair of antique glasses. There was a cane in his hands, but judging by the way he walked, it wasn't meant to support him.

"Jay Branwen," the man spoke. "You…"

 _Who is this? What does he want with me?_

"...have Qrow's eye color," the man finished.

Jay adopted a curious and confused face. "What?"

The man chose not to explain his words, simply placing a glass of warm milk before him. He looked to the old man, detecting no malice intent. So he down the drink, careful not to make a milk mustache.

"How...do you know my dad?"

"Because we worked together quite often. I'm surprised that Qrow has not talked much about me to you. I am Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy."

"The school for huntsman and huntresses," Jay finished. "The place where dad graduated and became a huntsman."

"Correct," Ozpin replied, "I've been watching you for some time, and I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but with Qrow's death, I need your help."

"What can I possibly help you with? I'm a kid with barely enough training to get by."

"You have much more than you realize," Ozpin argued, "If Raven's report is correct, you appeared to have wielded Ebon Reach without having any true prior training in its use."

"It was just instinct," Jay shrugged, "What's there to say?"

"It wasn't instinct, Jay." Ozpin smiled just slightly. "It was your semblance."

"What do you want with me, Ozpin?"

Ozpin remained impassive at Jay's demand, and that only served for fuel the boy's impatience at the situation. Why couldn't this conversation be just a bit more simple? He didn't doubt that this man knew a great deal and was quite powerful and skilled, but not everyone could be like him.

"Qrow was part of a few who had the skills and abilities to do certain missions." Ozpin took a long sip from his mug of coffee. "I'm sure you've been wondering for a long time why he didn't bring you along."

"I have," Jay sighed. "I don't understand what this had to do with that."

"Because you're that person who needs to do those missions now. With Qrow dead, someone will have to take his place, and you are the person."

The blond had a look of absolute disbelief. How in the hell did Ozpin expect him to take on Qrow's mission alone without any sort of assistance? It was suicide and a waste.

"I don't have my father's skills. I told you, I'm just a kid."

"You have more than you realize, Jay," Ozpin said. "You just need to believe in yourself, because I believe in you."

That caught the boy by surprise. This man, whom he'd known for less than five minutes, trusted him? How could he trust him just like that? Just how much did he know of Jay? How much had Qrow talked about him?

HIs eyes flickered to Raven, and she didn't indicate she was invested in the conversation, simply waiting for it to be over. No help would come from her, and Jay expected as much from the woman.

Without Qrow, he had to make a choice that would most definitely change his life forever. Was he even ready for something like this? Did he have the capacity to do what Qrow did for a living? Could he even amount to to anything like his father?

Just then he noticed something he hadn't seen before. A nearby window was reflecting the room they were in, and when Jay saw himself in the reflection, there was something there that shouldn't be there.

His right eye was red like Qrow's eyes. And he wasn't in contact with anyone. He was sitting on the bed.

Qrow's last words echoed in his mind.

 _You can...do anything._

In that moment, he knew what to do. Qrow had never stopped believing in him, and he took the blast for his own son. What good would that do to just throw away everything that could make him better?

"What do you want me to do," Jay asked. "How soon do we begin?"

"Right now," Ozpin typed on his scroll, "You are to go back to Taiyang Xiao Long and Summer Rose. I have informed them of Qrow's fate."

"Then our business is finished," Raven stepped in. "Jay. With me."

Jay got out of bed, careful not to overexert himself. Raven brandished her weapon and opened a portal. Jay looked to Ozpin.

"Your first assignment will be sent to your scroll. I will add further instructions so you can make your messages invisible."

"Understood," Jay nodded. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin."

"Do not thank me, Jay. Honor Qrow."

"Which I will also do."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Yang and Ruby were playing a game right now. It involved imaginary Grimm and them being huntresses. This was the closest thing to the real thing they were going to get.

They both wanted to be huntresses. One day, they would be. Their parents had agreed to it and the two of them were now going to take full advantage of it.

If only Jay were here. They missed him so much, and his next letter wasn't due for at least four more months.

Yang's momentary lapse allowed Ruby to take her by surprise. Yang tried to grapple with Ruby, but found the little girl so much faster.

The two of them faced each other, a determined look on each others' faces.

Then a sound filled their ears.

The two of them turned to the source.

"JAY!"

Both of them were instantly upon him, and crushing him in the grip of death. Silence passed for some time, and the two sisters broke away to look at him.

He looked...empty.

"Jay-Jay," Ruby asked. "What's wrong?"

"Ruby," he whispered. "I-"

The three of them were interrupted as the door to the house opened and Summer and Taiyang came bounding out. They were upon Jay.

"Jay," Summer grabbed him. "I'm so sorry."

A tear fell down his face. "I won't...cry."

"It's okay to cry, Jay."

Yang and Ruby looked to each other in confusion. What was happening? Why was Jay so upset? Why did their parents know this?

Their eyes then rested on what he held in his hands.

It was Ebon Reach, Uncle Qrow's weapon.

"I want my father," Jay sobbed. "I want my father."

The two sisters then clicked what was going on, and in that moment, they too felt sorrow as well. Without another word, they reached out to re-embrace Jay. Taiyang joined them.

Jay's left eye swirled with the color of blue, silver, and lilac.

His right eye was split into his sapphire-blue and Qrow's blood-red.

* * *

 **My god, this was a long chapter. I didn't expect it to be this long, but I'm sure none of you are complaining about it.**

 **So yeah, that just happened. Some serious...shit hit the fan. Theses events are the type of things that will shape Jay/Jaune later in the story, but as you can see, he refuses to be broken. He still wants to do right.**

 **I know you all have questions about Qrow, and they will be answered next chapter.**

 **For those of you who don't know, I've put a poll on my profile for a future story idea. I want to put characters from the MCU into a team. If that's something you'd like to see, go to my profile page and vote for you favorite Marvel hero.**

 **And finally, I want to hear what people thought about this chapter. Good, bad, awesome, meh, leave your thoughts in a review. Apologies for any potential errors I've made.**

 **Anyone catch the Star Wars line reference?**

 **Thanks to everyone so far who's taken an interest in this story. I will continue to deliver quality chapters as best I can. I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, everything we do impacts someone else's life.**

 **Peace!**


	5. Chapter 5: We haven't Met

Chapter 5: We haven't Met

 **Signal Academy…**

 **Two Years Later…**

"So with that in mind, I'd like you all to consider this." Taiyang put down his marker and turned to the front of the room. "Dust isn't just a weapon. It's what we use in our everyday lives whether we realize it or not."

It was a typical afternoon class, the last one of today, and the last day of the week before the weekend. A lot of students were looking forward to getting out for the weekend. Most lived at Signal. The few that lived on the island of Patch were permitted to live from home should they choose to do so.

Yang Xiao Long, his oldest daughter, was sitting at the front, looking as she always did in a classroom: bored, but still managing to at least get by class taking notes and listening as best she could. Taiyang suspected that she was only giving him the special treatment because he was her father. He wouldn't ask because Yang had perfectly fine grades. Not the best, but still she tried, and he supposed that's what mattered.

And sitting to her right, there was Jay Branwen, his adopted nephew, who was out cold and not even trying to pretend at all that he was paying attention. His was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed, and his head bowed against his chest. He didn't make a noise while he slept, but he wasn't conscious just the same.

Taiyang's face shifted to mild annoyance for a moment before resuming his professional expression. Even if the boy with half of his hair dyed black and one red eye was family in his eyes, the huntsman still couldn't accept this behavior.

Taiyang walked up to the table where Yang and Jay were sitting. He rapped his fist once, which was enough to jolt him a bit, but only slightly. Rubbing his eyes extremely casually, Jay looked up to his uncle, looking unashamed and rested.

"Mr. Branwen," Taiyang assumed his authoritative voice. "See me after class for extra study material."

"Sure thing, Mr. Xiao Long," Jay yawned loudly, "Though I doubt I'm behind."

"We'll see." Taiyang cast another look before returning to what he was saying. "There's no homework due next class for the rest of you, but I would like you all to get some time in training with your weapon."

The bell rang, and everyone grabbed their belongings to rush out the door. The only two students who remained were Yang and Jay. She looked at her cousin with a rather amused look while he just shrugged to show his indifference. They remained seated, her hands on the table and his hand still folded against his chest.

"Jay." Taiyang put a hand to his forehead. "This is getting out of hand. And I'm not the only teacher who's saying that."

"I get the work done," Jay argued, "I ace all my quizzes and tests, so what does it matter?"

"That's not the point," Taiyang shot back, "The point is that this is unacceptable behavior. Every one of your teachers is saying it."

Jay shrugged again. "I'm already a huntsman. I've got more skill and experience than all of these kids combined."

"That's no excuse to be acting like this." The huntsman was not moved. "Being a huntsman is more than just having the skills to do it. You need to have the right mindset, the proper attitude"

Jay shrugged. "Being a huntsman means killing Grimm. Lots of them. Whatever else is in between I leave that to myself to interpret."

"Jay," Taiyang sat on the edge of his desk and put a hand to his forehead, then exhaling quite audibly. "Why do you make my life so difficult? Why do you make your Aunty Summer's life so difficult? Do you know how much we worry about you?"

"I know and I get it," Jay grabbed his bag and hoisted it over his back. "And I can take care of myself just fine. I don't need a babysitter on my ass 24/7."

Without another word, the junior huntsman exited the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Taiyang and his eldest daughter behind. Taiyang wasn't really serious about the extra homework, even if his nephew had talked back to him. He was use to it by now, and it didn't really bother him.

"Dad," Yang asked timidly, "You okay?"

"Yang," Taiyang shook his head, "Go with Jay. Make sure he doesn't get in trouble or do anything too stupid."

"Sure," Yang shrugged, "But wouldn't you rather talk him out of it?"

"The last hundred plus times didn't work," the huntsman sighed, "I doubt that it'll work now. Besides, he probably will appreciate your company more than mine or you mother's."

"Dad, don't be mad at Jay. He's changed so much." Yang twiddled her thumbs in a lazy circle. "And having all of that… stuff in his mind is bound to mess with him."

"I know," Taiyang waved her off, "Go on. I'll see you back at home."

Yang only hesitated a moment before grabbing her gear and heading out the door to catch her cousin who was more like a brother. Watching his daughter leave, the huntsman began to organize his paperwork and other various assignments that students turned in. He had a busy weekend ahead of him and dealing with Jay was just the most difficult out of them all. The boy was a mixed bag all in all, something that didn't quite make sense until a year ago.

Jay at heart was a good soul, willing to put himself on the line for others and holding family close to his heart. He didn't pretend to be the best at anything, though getting him to admit he needed help was a real challenge. This was one of those times.

Even more distressing was that Jay and Ozpin were working together on secret things that neither parents were allowed to know about. The headmaster of Beacon had remained adamant about keeping this information on a need-to-know basis. Both Taiyang and Summer trusted Ozpin's words, but that didn't ever stop them from worrying about Jay.

He was all they had left of Qrow, and they meant that both figuratively and literally. Even now, the family had a hard time comprehending it.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 _ **Two Years Ago…**_

 _ **Dreamscape…**_

 _Jay was in a black forest, surrounded by a circle of fire. His aura was dangerously low, at the brink of collapsing entirely. He'd never be able to sustain the damage from the flames as they were simply too intense at this stage of the fire._

 _But even if his aura was at full capacity and even if he hadn't sustained injuries, Jay doubted that he could find the will to get up and face her._

 _What concerned his attention more was Qrow. Jay held the man's lifeless head in his hands and felt tears slip from his eyes. He bit his lips to stop stiffles and hiccups, and this only caused him to bite hard and spill blood with his tears._

 _"Weak," Cinder recited. "Pathetic. You do not even begin to scratch the surface of true power, yet you desire it so much."_

 _That snapped something deep within the boy's mind. If there was one thing that could always get a reaction from him, it was being called weak. He didn't ever wish to hear the term labelled to him, because in his eyes, that would mean he was letting his own father down. And even dead, he wouldn't stop believing in Qrow._

 _ **"Pick up the weapon Jay."**_ _Qrow's voice called out._ _ **"You can beat her. You've got everything you need to do it."**_

 _Wherever his voice came from, Jaune tightened his grip on Qrow's head. "I don't care. You killed my dad."_

 _He picked up Ebon Reach…_

* * *

 _Morning..._

 _Taiyang and Summer exchanged looks at each other and then their attention went to Jay, who conversed with Yang and Ruby at the table. For someone that had suffered the worst kind of loss, he seemed unnaturally serene. He certainly wasn't happy-looking, but he wasn't a complete slobbering mess either._

 _Should they be scared or relieved?_

 _Summer and Taiyang themselves were a little more than devastated at the loss of their teammate. They may have parted with Qrow on rather bitter terms, but that didn't mean they didn't care and try to reconnect with the master scythe-wielder._

 _As soon as breakfast was done, Summer was quick to pull Jay away from Yang and Ruby, who whined but were quickly distracted by their father. The two of them were also sad at the loss of their uncle. They would need time to process it as well. Taiyang would help them try._

 _For now, Summer needed to make sure that Jay was okay._

 _"Jay, you seem like nothing's happened." Summer eye him carefully as she held him by the shoulders. His right eye turned silver while his left eye was as split black-blue. She'd never seen that happen before._

 _"I'm not happy about what's happened." Jay closed his eyes, kept them closed, then opened them again. "Dad's death was...painful. It was my fault. The mission was a trap for me. We weren't the hunters. We were the hunted."_

 _His eyes began to water. Summer moved to rub them away as best she could. "I'm so sorry Jay. Truly, I am."_

 _"I know," Jaune managed. "But...I realized something else. Qrow Branwen fought to save my life. He died believing in me. He died so that I could have a life. It'd be a waste to dishonor him by moping about it. I won't do it."_

 _Summer was flabbergasted by this boy's words. These were the sort of words you heard from an adult realizing their purpose, not from a boy who had just witnessed the death of the person closest to him._

 _"How did you come upon this conclusion?" Summer really did want to know what motivated him to be like this._

 _"Dad was tough in training. There were some days that I didn't get praise for my work, but I kept trying to get approval. Whenever I did, I felt happy, fulfilled, prideful. His last words...they spoke of the absolute faith and trust he had in me. What kind of person would I be if I didn't honor his love for me?"_

 _It was then that Summer realized one thing about Jay Branwen: he truly did love Qrow as a father, even if he wasn't always good at being soft and cuddly. Perhaps she did have the drunk fool to thank for saving Jay's life. He probably wouldn't have survived otherwise. They boy had a will made of steel._

 _Summer felt herself trying to keep composed. She had long since accepted that anything could happen to any of them. Raven was the first to leave, and now Qrow had kicked the bucket. Loss in the work of huntsman and huntresses was commonplace. That still didn't make it any easier to swallow the pill. With Qrow's death, things for Jay were uncertain, the only real certainty. Contradictory in a way, but it was the truth._

 _"Jay," Summer fixed his collar, "Please don't lie about being okay if you're not. Keeping it all in is a one-way ticket to...bad things."_

 _"I promise," Jay smiled, "I won't pretend that this experience hasn't made me sad and angry, but right now, it's time to get on with life. I've made my peace."_

 _Summer pulled him in for a hug. He did the same. A minute of silence and calm. It felt so nice._

 _The mother huntress separated. "Alright. Do you want to see what Yang and Ruby are doing?"_

 _"In a minute." Jaune gestured to his room. "I just got to get a few things."_

 _With that, Jay was left to his own devices. He watched the woman walk away. It was understandable what she said. Normally, he should be bawling and crying._

 _The thing was that Qrow's death was a bit more complicated than that. It may have only been a single night, but that night, through his dream, Jay had made quite the discovery._

 _ **"You do know they're going to know one day."**_ _Qrow's form stood besides his own._ _ **"And when that happens, there's going to be questions."**_

 _Jaune shrugged in dismissal. "The experience is still fresh in my mind, but I won't let it bog me down. Besides, I'm not even close to ready yet."_

 _It wasn't the first time for a strange thing to happen to Jay. This was simply the one that took the cake as the most unusual. How this had happened, Jaune didn't understand at the time. He would find out though, and maybe, just maybe he'd come to accept what had happened more readily._

 _ **"I guess so, kid"**_ _Qrow patted him on the head._ _ **"For now, I think you should go to Yang and Ruby. You've been away from them long enough."**_

 _Jaune nodded slowly. "Alright, and I promise to tell Uncle Taiyang and Aunt Summer. Someday."_

 _ **"And you always keep your promises."**_ _Qrow nodded._ _ **"I know."**_

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Where's Ruby," Jay asked, "I thought I saw her today?"

Yang turned to face him. "She's out sick. Mom came to get her. Thank god she's not on a mission now."

"Yeah." Jay pressed his hips together. "So what's the deal with you and your dad?"

"Wrong question." Yang put her hands to her hip. "The correct question is what's with you lately? Qrow too much for you."

"Dad's fine," Jay shrugged, "We're just experimenting with this connection of ours. Since he can't really separate from me without disappearing forever, we're just testing the waters with what he and I can do."

"And you're doing a fine job of that." Yang clapped her hands together in mock-applause. "Half the teachers think you're mentally unstable."

"I don't mean it to happen when it does," Jay grumbled, "My dad can be a bit of an asshole sometimes."

"Language." Yang put a finger to his lip. "Wouldn't want Ruby to pick up your habits. She's already in love with her scythe."

"Tell me about it," Jay laughed, "She treats it like a person. That's got me more creeped out than any swears she can learn."

"That's rich coming from you," Yang retorted back, "Who cradles their weapon like a baby?"

"It's called weapon maintenance," Jay shot back, "And that's perfectly normal."

"But in all seriousness, isn't there anything we can do?" Both teens walked side by side, their fellow students clearing the way. "I mean, you're our brother in all but blood. You can't keep everything from us."

"If I think if something, I'll tell you." Jay didn't have an idea, and Yang wanted one. "Two years and still I've got a lot to learn from my semblance. I might be able to fight like a veteran huntsman, but still…"

"Somehow I don't believe you." Yang playfully shoved him. "But I guess you know more than I do, so who am I to tell you your business."

Jay felt his scroll buzz in his pocket and he grabbed the device and checked to see who was messaging him. It was Ozpin, and already there was a file that was attached to the message. That usually meant a mission for him.

"Who is it?" Yang asked. "Ozpin again? Geez, you just got back from a mission not that long ago."  
"My work is never really done," Jay sighed, "But at least I get paid well to do it, not to mention I actually get experience in the field."

They walked outside of the school to witness warriors in training all across the lawn of Signal. They came in all different shapes and sizes. Not everyone would become a hunter of Grimm. Some would go into law enforcement, others into mercenary work, and still more into crime and investigation. It was an everyday sight, but it was still interesting to take in so much diversity.

"I gotta split." Jay told Yang with a quick tone. "If I'm not back tonight, tell uncle and aunty it was Ozpin."

Yang grabbed his arms. "Be careful."

Jaune looked her in the eyes. "I'm not making that promise, but I will come back alive."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Yang let go of him. "But with you, I suppose it's all I can get."

"Yang, I take promises very seriously. I'd be making some heavy hearts if something happened to me. It won't. I swear I'll be back."

"And I believe you, Jay."

With a hug of farewell, Jay checked to make sure Ebon Reach was securely on his back before heading out to find an airship to Vale. With Ozpin, he could never be too sure what sort of mission he was receiving. It could be the type that went on for days, maybe longer, or it might take only mere hours or a day.

On the ride to Vale, he looked through the files he was given, and he knew that this would be at least a few days of work if not more. He had to shadow some criminal activity in Mistral. That meant having to bunker down in one of Qrow's apartments in the capital of the kingdom. He wouldn't be getting there tonight; he had some assignments to finish for Signal before taking on the assignment. He'd do that in the Vale apartment before setting out to Mistral tomorrow.

The pay was surprisingly high for this job, so this had to be some really skilled criminal. There was no description of the suspect, only that it was female, and her targets seemed to be high-value items, things that could sell for a lot of lien. That left him with limited clues, so he would have to watch for new clues, that or walk the streets to look for any signs of activity that might indicate the things on this scantily-constructed dossier.

When Jay arrived in Vale, he was quick to buy a few food items before retiring to Qrow's apartment. It was a modest place, middle-class, which would be the best place for a high-profile warrior like Jay to be hiding.

"So what do you make of this dad?" Jay felt his eyes turn to Qrow. "This isn't much to go off of."

" **You might have to go the underground world for this one, kid. They might have better sources."**

That would be his first stop first thing tomorrow.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 _ **One Year Ago…**_

 _One year had gone by since Qrow's death. One year had gone by since Jay came back into their lives._

 _It was not a lot of time in the grand scheme of things, but like anyone dealing with the death of a loved one, they had to move on. They still remembered, still treasured the times that Qrow was with them. They just didn't shed tears anymore. The man wouldn't want any of them to shed tears for him. He hated crying._

 _However, in that same timespan of a year, Taiyang, Summer, Ruby, and Yang noticed something else happening: Jay's shifts in behavior._

 _He wasn't a completely different person. He still was kind and polite and smiled true smiles. He was still the person willing to put himself on the line for others he cared about. He still lent a hand to strangers. Those things never changed. In actuality, his traits had become much more prevalent._

 _But there were new elements as well. As much time as he was being what made Jay who he was, he was also spending as much time acting like Qrow was. As much time as he was nice, he was also blunt. As much time as he was polite, he was crass. As much as he was caring, he was also indifferent._

 _These behaviors mirrored Qrow's traits so much that it sometimes it was hard to tell if they were speaking to Jay or to Qrow, even if his voice never changed. It was about half and half now. Neither side seemed to overtake the other and neither side seemed to be fighting the other. The side that represented Qrow just somehow came into being._

 _Initially, Summer had thought it to be a natural reaction following Qrow's death. The boy shared a bond with Qrow that no one else had with the man. Qrow let few people in and even to the people that mattered to him, he didn't show many soft spots. With Jay, Qrow seemed to allow himself a bit more leeway in expressing himself._

 _Then some more obvious signs of Qrow began to manifest in Jay. When Qrow's body had been recovered thanks to Raven (the one thing that she did to honor her brother), Jay had taken an immense attachment to his belongings. Now everyday, the blond boy wore the cross around his neck and always had the flask (with no alcohol of course). And to top it all off, he carried Ebon Reach like it was a baby. If anyone outside of family touched it, they would regret it._

 _And these were just the most obvious signs of change in Jay. There could be a multitude of things going on and none of them would even know it. That was why Summer felt that the waiting and observing was over. She wanted answers._

 _It was an average weekend, and that meant Yang, Ruby, and Jay were going out to play. Summer and Taiyang had forbidden Jay to take Ebon Reach and train on weekends, and naturally, as a person who value family, he abided by this rule. As the three kids were heading out the door, Summer called out._

 _"Jay, can I have a word?" The woman watched the three of them stop and look to her. "Yang, Ruby, you two can go out. This might be a while."_

 _Jay urged the two of them to go, and they did so, though hesitantly. Watching the two girls leave the house, Summer gestured for Jay to come with her. They eventually settled into the living room, where they both took a seat on the couch. Jay seemed to know that she was about to discuss a serious topic. He was paying attention to her fully._

 _"Jay, what is going on?" His confusion was expected from her, so she elaborated. "Ever since Qrow's death, you've acted so erratically that I sometimes don't know if I'm looking at you or your father."_

 _Summer caught a look of contemplation in his eyes as he mulled over the possibilities in his mind. She even caught him mouthing words to himself, his eyes then falling to the empty space near them. He stared hard, and Summer wondered why stared like there was someone there._

 _Then he tightened his hands into fists, then they fell limp. He took in a breath and let it out very clearly. His eyes closed tightly, then opened. When he looked to her again, she saw absolutely no trace of hesitancy or doubt._

 _"There's a reason why I'm the way I am now," Jay spoke crisply, "My unnatural skill with dad's weapon, my unusually good grades at Signal Academy, my increased knowledge, all of it stems from one thing."_

 _He paused, but still not in any way that indicated he was having second thoughts. Rather, he was making sure Summer was on the same page as he was._

 _"Qrow Branwen isn't truly dead," Jay said, "He lives within me."_

 _For the first time in many years, Summer's eyes widened and her jaw slackened at this. She wasn't going to say that Jay was insane or mentally unsound, because Jay was anything but those two things. He conveyed to show that he meant it with every fiber of his being. Add this to the fact that talks about Qrow were always serious and there was no reason to doubt the blond and black-haired boy._

 _But she still was in shock. "How…?"_

 _"My semblance," Jaune pointed to himself, "It somehow went into overdrive when I witnessed dad's death. Guess I wasn't ready to let him go, so my semblance preserved his conscious."_

 _Then something clicked in the huntress's mind. The times that Jay seemed to stare at places. Could it be that he was staring at manifestations of Qrow._

 _"Could I… could I talk to him?" If she could talk to her battle brother, she wanted to. She missed him._

 _Jay nodded. "Theoretically, you can, though I haven't ever tried. Dad thinks I can do it if I allow someone within my soul."_

 _Jay held out his hand, and Summer assumed that she had to take it, so she did. He closed his eyes and went silent. Summer felt an energy around her, like she could reach out beyond the physical world._

 _The she heard Jay's thoughts, but she didn't know that at first. Hearing his voice made her think he was talking, but when she looked to him, he had his eyes open at her, but his mouth didn't move. He gestured his head to the opposite of the coffee table._

 _She felt her eyes move._

 _Then she saw Qrow, glowing with an ethereal black and see-through._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Six Days Later...**

Jay stood, his blue and red eye trained on the person in front of him. Ebon Reach was at his back ready to be used if need be, but he had a feeling that this time, there wouldn't be a need for weapons.

He removed the hood that covered his face, pushing back a few strands of his mixed black and blond hair. His face didn't change, remaining neutral. He would change that once he knew exactly what he was dealing with here.

"You're not a typical thief," Jay commented, "How did you do that?"

The girl in front of him, she had red eyes like his own right eye, but somehow her eyes were different than his own. Her red carried a different story to them, one that undoubtedly spoke of hardship, self-dependence, and mistrust among other things.

Just the sort of things that Jay knew about.

Aside from her eyes, he eyed her up and down. She was most definitely not a well-off person seeing as her attire was pretty limited and served only to a minimal extend. She travelled light in order to do what she did: steal. The belt she wore had many pouches, no doubt holding the things that she had stolen recently.

Jay didn't know her name, but he didn't need to know who she was to know that she was the target. Her M.O. matched with that of the dossier given. That and he had just witnessed the girl trying to steal right in plain sunlight. It was without a doubt the most strange robbery he'd ever witness. No weapons or hits were drawn. She just took it right in front of the store owner.

And judging by the way the girl looked at him, she knew exactly who she was. It seemed that his reputation was enough because she looked really unhappy with him, the sort of face of disgusted familiarity. The girl reached for what appeared to be a pair of twin pistols.

"I don't wanna hurt you," he warned, "And I don't think you do either. You're not exactly in the best places."

"So let me go," she glared back. Her hands didn't release themselves from the holsters around her back that carried her weapons. "Everything was going fine until you got involved."

"Hold your horses there," Jay raised his hands. "I'm not here to do anything to you. I'll even drop my weapon if you like."

"Why should I trust you," she demanded. "You bring in all sorts of people on the wrong side of the law. That's what you do."

"Because I've seem my share of shady people. Gangs, criminals, thieves, the works. In my line of work, reading people is an art I have to master." He paused to look her over. "But you're fighting just to survive. You've probably had to do some bad things, but it's survival right? That justifies everything you've done."

She didn't lower her expression of venom, but it was clear to Jay that she was registering his words and considering them in her mind. If he were able to connect to her soul, then he would know that he was indeed right and she was reconsidering her position.

So far, so good; no raised voices, no weapons drawn, and no tangible threats issued.

And Jay was being truthful to her. He had no reason to lie to her.

"I know what that's like," he looked to the ground, "When the world can't or won't help, you do what you have to. You might have guilt looking back, but you did it for yourself because no one would help."

Jay made eye contact again. "I want to help you."

"Nobody's ever wanted to help me before." She released her holsters, but still suspicious of him. "Least of all some bigshot hero."

"You think being a celebrity is all that," Jay scoffed. "Sure, it's nice sometimes, but I could do with a little less publicity. And don't think just because I'm up there, it means I'm that conceited."

His momentary rant ceased as he reined in his emotions. There was a time and a place to vent anger, but here and now wasn't one of those times. He still had to convince this girl that he wasn't a threat to her, but he truly did want to give her a chance.

Before he could say another word, she beat him to it.

"...why come to me," she asked warily, "Like you said, I'm trying to survive. I got nothing else."

An easy question to answer.

"You have skill. That's what matters." Jay smiled without hiding anything. "Here's the thing: I have all sorts of mission across Remnant. Quite frankly, I've got more than I can chew. I'm good, but I'm not that good."

She stared. "Where do I come in?"

"Simple. I need a partner to help me around. The jobs range from simple reappropriating of things to search and destroy to Grimm hunting, but I think you're more than able to do all of those things and a few more."

"What's the catch?" She inquired. "Nobody does anything without something in return."

"Well," Jay rubbed a hand through his hair, "The catch is this: you be my friend."

She looked unconvinced. "That can't be it."

"And why not," Jay challenged, "I'm not looking to take anything from you or force you to do anything. I have everything I need to live. I've got people I trust, a place to call home, and money that I earned rightfully. You could have all of those things too. That is, if you choose to accept my offer."

Clearly trust was an issue with her. It should have been easy to see this. Being a thief wasn't a life of honesty and trust. Jay admonished himself for being so short-sighted. It was time to switch to another tactic, something that should always be done.

Jay blinked, then stepped closer. "How about we try this: what's your name? I can't have a conversation if I don't have a name."

He could see the internal debate she fought with. He still had a chance if that was the case. He was counting on her indecision to strengthen his chances of getting her to join him. He was also betting on another thing: desperation. Nobody wanted to be alone no matter how much some might claim otherwise. A life of a thief was a lonely one, and one couldn't be sure if the next person they saw was an ally or an enemy. Everyone wanted a friend sooner or later.

He stood and waited. He could afford to be patient and wait for her to decide what to do next. If she accepted, then all was well. If she didn't, then he'd let her take her chances. He had completed his mission, and he could report to Ozpin. He would simply tell the old man that the thief wasn't dangerous. End of discussion.

She looked up to finally, with resigned insecurity. He was rewarded with two words.

"Emerald Sustrai." Her voice sounded more than unsure about Jay. She sounded unsure about herself, like she hadn't ever received validation. "My name is Emerald Sustrai."

She'd never had a friend before.

His smile brightened. "Now that is a proper civil greeting, even out here. As for me, you may call me Jay Branwen."

It would seem things were looking up today for another person. If he could know her name, then he could become her friend.

Her first friend.

 **"You could do better, but a semblance like hers is useful."**

Jay didn't even glance his eyes in the direction of where Qrow's spirit stood, and even if it was just the 'two of them,' there weren't any words worth saying.

That was the closest thing to a compliment he was going to get from the grumpy spirit man.

* * *

 **So how many of you are holding your tools of hate, ready to burn me down for not updating in forever? Don't worry, I'll gladly let you have a go. I deserve it. Kinda. Sorta. Not really.**

 **The one thing I've decided for Jay/Jaune's character is that he won't be this suave and outgoing guy with social moves. That wouldn't be in the spirit of character. I'm sticking to a faithful interpretation, but the split personality he shares with Qrow is going to be quite prevalent as well as their continued growth. Remember, this was just a taste of Qrow.**

 **Combat skills for Jay/Jaune will remain consistent with Qrow's skill level. I've also got a surprise for a new weapon mode for the scythe. Lets just say that rewatching the Power Rangers gives you great ideas.**

 **So what's the buzz? Good? Bad? Meh? I'd like to know. I have a direction, but you the viewers can influence those directions if you so choose to voice it.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading those chapters, and remember:**

 ** _An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind._**

 **\- Mahatma Gandhi**

 **Peace out!**


	6. Chapter 6: Get Your Spartan On

Chapter 6: Get Your Spartan On

 **Beacon Academy**

 **Two years later…**

"Oz, you've got to be kidding me." Jay paced in a circle. "Why in the living hell would I ever agree to do this? No. No."

"Jay, this has to be done." Ozpin sat in his chair, watching Jay carefully. "And there's no one else to turn to."

Jay Branwen, sixteen years old, and just entering his physical prime, wasn't happy. Well, at least his Qrow side was far from happy. He was use to doing missions alone or with Emerald, who had, as of late, been going more abroad. Their two years as partners had turned them into a force to be reckoned with. Their time had been spent not just dealing with jobs in the city. They took all sorts of missions.

Right now though, they were on a break of sorts. Even friends fight, and though both of them knew that this wasn't goodbye forever, it certainly was goodbye for a time. They had counted on each other many times, often with their own lives. After doing that many times over, it would be next to impossible for both of them to just end their relationship in a flash.

But what Ozpin was proposing now was something Jay didn't expect and most certainly didn't want, not now.

"Ozpin, I deal with the real world out there." Jay pointed out the large window of the tower. "The last thing I need is another idealistic rookie out there."

"Pyrrha Nikos isn't inexperienced." Ozpin clasped his hands together. "She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament three times in a row."

"Another problem right there." Jay sighed. "She's a celebrity, and celebrities tend to make my work exponentially more difficult. If I do this job with her, I'm gonna have ever scum bag on Remnant hot on my tail."

"Jay, you sound almost like you hate her." Ozpin's eyes watched Jay like a hawk. "Even though you've never met her in real life."

"Hate is a strong word." Jay stopped pacing. "More like she's not cut out for my type of missions. She wants to be a huntress, a hero."

"And what about you, dear boy?" Ozpin gestured to the teenager. "Don't you wish to be one as well?"

"Sure, but I know what I'm doing out there. She's lived thinking that everything works out, that there's always hope and love and such. That's not how it always works."

"So teach her then. Show her how to balance the light and dark."

"Ozpin, what's this all about? Can you get to the point?"

Jay's impatience stemmed from Qrow more than it did Jay. Even as an experienced huntsman, Qrow Branwen was a man who wanted details that would help him. He cared not for riddles, vagueness, or otherwise useless talk. Unless it was with people he considered family, he wanted things concise and clear.

And now, neither did Jay.

"There's an ancient artifact that I need you to retrieve." Ozpin stood up and picked up his cane. "It predates long before huntsman and huntresses were created."

"And what is this relic I'm looking for?" Jay regarded Ozpin curiously. "Writings? Weapons? Something else?"

"It's a memory crystal. Well, what's left of it anyway." Ozpin said. "It may contain some knowledge that would help us against the Grimm."

Jay frowned. "What could the ancient warriors of the past know that we don't know now?"

A pause. "A great deal of things that I'm afraid have been lost with the development of dust and aura and history."

"And why do I need to bring along a student when another huntsman or huntress would be more preferable?"

"As I've said, this is a two-person job." Ozpin faced Jay in full. "And I know that you and Emerald have decided to go about your own ways for a time."

"Since when have you become so interested in my private life?" The boy crossed his arms in disapproval. "Have you been spying on me?"

"Jay, have you known me to be anything but honest with you?" Ozpin didn't issue a challenge, but he wasn't going to be denied all the same. "Even if sometimes I withhold the full truth, have you not always come out well, even if a bit bruised?"

"Oh Ozpin, you were never good with deceiving me." Jay clenched his fist. "I've always known how you play the game. Just because I played along doesn't mean that I cared for it. You're damn lucky that I'm as adaptable as I am."

"See?" Ozpin looked almost nonchalant. "It works out in the end. You've always managed to work it out. So do so now."

It was a trap, and they both knew it. Still, Jay found it in himself to argue for what it was worth. Whatever could make the job easier, Jay would do it. Cutting the invincible girl right now and being done with it was the best thing to do. Unfortunately, when Ozpin asked for something to be done his way, one way or another, it would be done his way. Jay was immune to his guilt-tripping, but he couldn't argue against logic. No amount of emotional response was going to make a difference.

"And I don't suppose I'll be receiving an explaination for why I have to do this?" Jay was resigned to do what he had to do. "Or is this another guessing game."

"You know me well, Jay." Ozpin sat back down. "You tell me."

"Right." Jay felt his teeth grind a bit. "Where am I to meet her?"

"In a week. Her instructors are simply filling out the final bits of paperwork."

"How much is she being told about the mission?"

"Pyrrha Nikos has been told that this mission is strictly for her own self-improvement. Whatever you tell her is up to you."

A small grumble, but the Branwen didn't respond further. Ozpin took this as a sign of acceptance and simple tapped a control on his desktop scroll. Even if Jay had disagreed, all the paperwork was already done. He wouldn't have a choice.

"I should go." Jay didn't even deign to do a farewell of any kind. "I have work to do."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Follow me**

Pyrrha Nikos had little reason to be nervous.

She was a great warrior, one of the best. She didn't wish to call herself the best because there were others she felt that were just as good as she was. Still, her instructors praised her work and her accomplishments.

What was she was doing now, was something else entirely though. Few students in combat schools had this opportunity, but Pyrrha, more than anything, wanted to test her mettle in real live combat. It was a program that saw few students because few had the necessary skill to travel with a more experienced warrior. She had it on good authority that her guide would be Jay Branwen.

That name carried much weight. Qrow Branwen was hailed as the ultimate Grimm slayer, able to bring down legions of Grimm single-handedly, and if the reports were accurate, without so much as a scratch. His son, the ever-growing name of Jay Branwen shared his father's talents and combat.

But to Pyrrha, it was just a name. She'd never really seen him in action. In fact, she hadn't ever seen him on the net or anywhere for that matter. In a sense, she could understand his celebrity status. He wasn't much of a public figure, going so far as to avoid the scene entirely. He was far more vocal about what he wanted, more so than she was.

She was to meet him right here on Sanctum Academy grounds and they'd go from there to wherever they were needed. The details weren't many, so Pyrrha would have to ask just what they were doing.

She stood at attention with Professor Hunter and Professor Starr. Both of them were standing just as straight as she was. She wasn't sure if they were just doing so to appear at their best or if they were as nervous as she was.

Regardless, she had to keep herself reigned in. She was suppose to be professional here.

The ship arriving was a small craft, with maybe enough room for a group of no more than ten. From the ramp came a single form. Pyrrha found herself straightening further, looking at herself for anything outstanding in her attire.

The first thing that crossed Pyrrha's mind is that he was confusing. He wore a dress shirt with a tie which was safeguarded by a coat ending in a two large tails almost touching the ground. A cape was visible, fluttering slightly. He wore jeans with combat boots. The whole makeup of his attire was confusing.

Against his back rested a large blade. The tip of the blade looked like it had been cut off. It must be a feature to allow for easier travel.

Looking at his face, Pyrrha was quite intrigued. A red and blue eye, black and blonde hair, and an expression that isn't clear. Does he carry greetings, business, or displeasure on his face?

"Mr. Branwen." Professor Starr greets the boy. "Right on time."

"Is this her?" He glances at her. "Pyrrha Nikos?"

"Yes." This time, it's Professor Hunter that speaks. "This is her."

He takes a few steps forward. There is but a meter or so of distance between him and her. He doesn't look at any part of her other than her face. His expression shifts from approval to disapproval to neutrality.

"I suppose proper introductions are called for." Jay held his hand out. "Jay Branwen. I work directly for Headmaster Ozpin if you weren't aware."

No mention of her accomplishments. No mention of her sponsorships. Not even a hint of care for her reputation. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. In any event, she took his hand, noting just how firm his grip was. In order to show that she was capable, she too put equal strength into the grip. His face lit up once again.

"Is there anything else I need to be informed about before I take her?" He released her hand. "This mission will take time. At best, maybe two weeks. At worst, a month."

 _Weeks? Months?_ Pyrrha heard herself questioning that. _Why was I not informed of this? What am I part of?_

"There is nothing else." Professor Starr said. "Just return her to us safe and sound."

"Safe, I cannot promise right now." Jay looked to them both. "Sound? That may depend upon your definition. She will return back to Sanctum, that I can promise."

"Professors?" Pyrrha looked to both her teachers. "What is going on?"

"We don't know." Professor Hunter was next to speak. "Just listen to Mr. Branwen and he will guide you through this mission. He has a tendency to exaggerate things beyond what is true."

Pyrrha wanted to ask more, but she didn't. "Of course. I will do Sanctum Academy proud. I promise."

"We know you will. Be well." Both teachers waved to her as she boarded.

She stared at the grounds of Sanctum from the window of the ship. Her eyes never strayed far from the school until it was out of sight completely. It was only after a shift in direction that got her attention.

Keeping herself upright, she made her way to the front, where she was surprised to see that the pilot was Jay himself. He kept his eyes on the sky, only glancing in her general direction in order to say he knew she was there. Pyrrha wanted to sit, but she saw that he had laid his weapon on the seat.

"Can I sit down?" Pyrrha voiced the question without trying to sound timid.

"Heck, you don't need my permission. By my guest." He sounded annoyed at answering the question. "Just be careful with my weapon."

Jay didn't even look at her as he said this, and if he did, he would see that Pyrrha was frowning all over. She must've done something that he didn't approve of. Or maybe asking him to do something was the reason he sounded like he did. The girl felt herself becoming increasingly anxious as she carefully moved the large sword to the floor before sitting down and keeping good posture.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Later…**

Neither spoke any more words as they continued on for a few hours of flight. Jay was busy flying. And he wasn't in any mood to talk right now. At least not with Qrow rambling on in his mind.

 _Dad, can we not?_ Jay's eyes remained focused, but his mind was multitasking. _She's with us and this is a two-man job. Two-job. No point in making an annoyance of myself._

 **I'm not saying she's annoying.** Qrow fought back calmly. **Test the waters. She what she's all about. She's unskilled until proven otherwise.**

 _I thought that they were sending me a student that was the best of the best._ The boy glanced at her through a nearby reflection. _I mean c'mon, she's the one out of her element here. I'm perfectly at home._

 **I'm telling you, if you start being nice, you're going to regret it.** Qrow did a bit off a huff. **You're gonna get attached to her.**

 _So I want a friend. So what? Is that such a crime?_

 **Honestly, kid? Friends are overrated.**

 _We'll see, won't we?_

Qrow, this time, didn't reply back, and receded back into silence. Jay was thankful. More and more, Qrow was doing more to influence his outward appearance as well as his internal thought process. It worried the boy on more than one occasion.

"We'll be at our first site shortly." Jay looked to see that Pyrrha was slightly sleepy, but still awake. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am." Pyrrha looked afraid. "I'm sorry. It's just… how do I address you?"

"My name is Jay Branwen." Jay looked her in the eyes. "I don't need to be called anything else. Celebrity status isn't something I revel in? I don't suppose you too are a bit weighed down by it?"

"...I suppose I do feel the same way." Pyrrha crossed her arms. "It can be quite the burden."

That spoke more about the girl than any conversation could. The way she spoke, the words she spoke, her expression, pretty much everything needed for the more experienced warrior to come up with a sort of characterization of Pyrrha Nikos.

Humble. Diligent. Tired. Lonely.

"So you're probably wondering what we're out here for." Jay intoned. "No doubt you've got questions."

"A few." She nodded.

"Well, I'll be as clear as I can. Normally, I would seek the help from another huntsman or huntress, but right now, they're tied down with other business." He glanced to the side window, then at Pyrrha's side window.

"Why not seek the help of someone more experienced?" Pyrrha regarded him with only slight trepidation now, feeling less uncomfortable. "Why request a student from a combat school?"

"Because they're the next best thing." The bullhead began to slow and descend. "They're not equipped to deal with potential Grimm threats. It was also at the personal request of Ozpin. It's no secret that you want to go to Beacon Academy."

"I do." There was no sense in denying. "It's something that I've worked for. I feel that I wouldn't belong anywhere else."

Jay had chosen a flat rock to land the bullhead. There were trees surrounding them, but more than enough space for them to take off and land unimpeded.

He gave her a thoughtful look. "Well, then you're in for a very unique opportunity. Do well, and I'll give you a glowing review. That's the sort of thing that Ozpin can't ignore. You could probably get in on your own merit, but praise from someone who's had extensive field experience is extremely important."

She looked surprised at this. "Then I… hope to succeed with flying colors."

"... we'll see if you do." He got out of his seat and grabbed his weapon.

She checked to see that Milo and Akouo were okay, strapping them both onto her back, and then following Jay.

The day outside was calming. The sounds of the forest were abound with the sound of birds chirping, a long howl somewhere in the distance, a slight breeze, moments of silence, then life again. This sort of setting was so unfamiliar to the girl in part due to the fact that she trained to kill Grimm in controlled environments and simulations, not actually going into a forest. Being out in the wilds was different than any program could replicate.

But who was to say that there would be Grimm to face out here?

"I'll… keep this short." Jay glanced her way as they walked. "We're here to search for an artifact. Do you know what a memory crystal is?"

"I've only read about it in books." Pyrrha racked her brain for the term. "It is said to be able to contain the memories of a person or living being."

"It makes sense, right?" Jay could feel Qrow's sarcasm. "But they are the relics of a time long gone. Very few people even know what they are let alone what they do. I'm surprised you know."

"I do my best." Pyrrha smiled a bit bashfully.

 _She's kinda cute._ Jay almost let a grin break out.

 **Eyes up front.** Qrow sounded frustrated. **No time for looking at racks.**

 _Thank you, dad._ Jay grumbled internally. _I'm glad that I'm not as crude as you are._

 ** _Face it, kid. If not for me, you wouldn't even have the guts to-_**

 _Do. Not. Even._ Jay's warning reverberated in his mind.

 **I'm just saying, Jay. Don't make this another thing you'll regret.**

 _There isn't anything going on. Strictly professional._

 **That's what all the protagonists say at the beginning of their tale.**

 _This is reality, not a tall tale._

"In any case," He resumed his attention to their path, "Professor Ozpin believes that this particular memory crystal that we're hunting is integral from a historical viewpoint."

"Did he say how?" Pyrrha pushed a branch aside. "What is it?"

"That's not something you need to know." Jay blew an insect aside. "All you need to know is what it is."

She was likely not satisfied with what he said. He wouldn't blame her if he was in her place, but like it or not, the less that people knew, the more likely they would succeed. Who knew how long the mission was going to remain secret. There were eyes and ears everywhere on Remnant.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Island of Patch...**

"Ruby, we're going to be late." Yang made a loud huff as she stood by a set of lockers. "C'mon, Crescent Rose will be there when we get back."

"Just a moment." Ruby shut her locker. "I just had to make sure all the parts were properly greased."

"We've got one minute." Yang pulled her sister forward. "We've got to move fast!"

Even with the power of Ruby's semblance at their disposal, they were pushing it. Really pushing it. As in they would be lucky to get to class with even a moment to spare.

Ruby began to pick up speed, leaving a trail of red petals in her wake. The world all around them blurred so much that the blurs started to become solid colors flashing fast by. If there were people in the way, Ruby dodged them with Yang barely able to react.

"Hot damn, Ruby." Yang spoke loudly. "At this rate I'm gonna get mauled before I even reach the classroom."

"You'll thank me later." Ruby dismissed Yang and continued to speed through the halls. "Seventeen seconds."

They entered the classroom. To see their father, Taiyang expecting them.

"Ruby, Yang, you're late. Am I to expect that Mr. Branwen isn't coming?"

Both of them glanced at the clock above their heads. Four seconds had ticked off the clock from class time.

"No, Jay wasn't anywhere this morning." Ruby piped up to answer. "Guess he's out working or something. I dunno."

"Very well. Take your seats. I'll have a talk with you two later."

There wasn't a use debating it. So the two of them settled down into their usual seats, ignoring the stares as best they could. It wasn't a secret that this was their father, so at least a few students were naturally curious as to their relationship.

In order to make sure that he couldn't be given another reason to be mad at them, both Ruby and Yang paid attention as best they could. They took notes, answered questions here and there, the normal sort of thing.

That was until Yang began to stare off into space and Ruby picked up right on that. It didn't take anything special to know what she was thinking about.

They briefly met eyes and Yang used her eyes to gesture to the space between them. Ruby looked down. Yang held her scroll in her hands and there was something typed in on the screen.

 _I'm worried about Jay._

Ruby dared not to write her own message, not wishing their father to see them not paying attention, but she did truly know the feeling that Yang felt when their brother was gone.

The only thing the younger sister could really think to do was to nod in agreement, then get on with the lecture.

That didn't work for long though. Eventually, Ruby found herself drifting to Jay in her thoughts. She blamed Yang for making her think of him so much, and why not? He was Oum knows where risking his life. Jay and their dad had said on more than one account that they couldn't join because they weren't at his level in combat. In a way, it wasn't fair that Jay had experience and know-how from Qrow. It was like a cheat sheet that helped him get through what everyone else was struggling with. Maybe Ruby was jealous of this, and Yang to a higher degree.

 _He's always come back home._ Ruby did her best to assure herself. _Always has._

The time crawled by so slow, probably as slow as a slug. It wasn't unusual to experience those days every now and then.

A slight tap at her side again.

The Red Reaper looked to the Blonde Brawler to see that she was holding her scroll. Looking at it, Ruby realized it was a message from Jay.

 _Have to go dark for a while. Sorry. Love you both._

They both felt a shudder at their bones.

 **Long time? Alright, no jokes from me. I ran into a bit of a wall when working through ideas. That combined with other stories, life, and other things, really halted progress.**

 **So I've got nothing much to say about this chapter other than this is going to be the first major adventure of Jay/Jaune. You should be able to see just what he's been up to and what he can do. And this is where his relationship with Pyrrha begins.**

 **So what do you guys think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Meh? Leave a review with your thoughts. Apologies for any grammar issues. Feel free to call me out on it.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading, and remember:**

" _ **Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."**_

 **Maya Angelou**

 **Peace out!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Art of the Hunt

Chapter 7: The Art of the Hunt

 **Remnant**

 **Grimm Wilds**

Jay had his weapon in scythe mode in order to hack and slash at growth that couldn't be moved with just his hands.

Hiking in these lands wasn't so much fun as it was tedious. It could've been his mood, but he felt unmoved by the environment. Barring the occasional views that made for a nice change of pace, there was nothing of interest here. He dubbed this time as robot mode. He just kept walking, observed the serene atmosphere occasionally, then moved on without much thought.

Surprisingly enough, there hadn't been any Grimm resistance yet. Even more unusual was that the forest was nigh-silent. There were birds chirping, there weren't animals howling; it might as well be a dead place.

"Permission to speak freely, Mr. Branwen?" Pyrrha's voice wasn't far away.

Jay sighed. "Pyrrha, there's no need for formalities. Truthfully, I hate formalities. It makes me feel older than I am."

"Apologies." Pyrrha voice sounded rushed. "It's just that-"

"I'm different." He slashed at an overgrown branch. "I'm not like the usual professional huntsman. Heck, I'm not even a huntsman."

"You're not?" She looked taken aback.

Folding the scythe back into sword form and sheathing the weapon on his back, Jay let out a massive breath. Pyrrha wasn't sure how to react to this. It looked to her like he was exasperated at her questions, but she couldn't help it. So many questions about this boy rattled in her head. She just hoped that she hadn't hurt her chances to get answers. Perhaps it was better to not treat the boy like she didn't wish to be treated. Now that she knew how he responded to formalities, she would silence them.

"That's what people think." Jay looked to his left and then to his right. "They assume because I'm working for Ozpin that I'm already a huntsman. I wouldn't call myself that, at least not officially."

 **"Screw what other people think."** Qrow chimed in with his opinion. **"With your skills and mine in one package, we can outdo pretty much anyone. So you're already a huntsman."**

Jay clenched his teeth at his father's voice breaking into the conversation. Today, he wasn't feeling in the mood to deal with this. He had to take care of this before Pyrrha began to suspect something was going on. He was known for many things, but looking like a raving lunatic wasn't one of them.

"I need to make a call." Jay pulled out his scroll. "If you can, scout ahead. See anything, give me a shout."

"Of course." Pyrrha looked disappointed, but she continued along. The moment that Jay knew she was out of earshot, he relaxed.

He'd have to talk to her later to assure her that there wasn't anything wrong. Jay had seen Pyrrha at work before in the arena. Never had he seen her with this sort of timidness and fear. Did his presence really scare her?

He would deal with that later once he dealt with this first.

"You're awfully talkative today." Jay sat down on a log, still holding his scroll. "Any particular reason why?"

 **"You do realize you should be taking this more seriously."** Qrow's visible appearance made the conversation feel more whole. **"A student's life is in your hands. You don't wanna be the one to tell their parents how you didn't make it back."**

"I don't plan on letting her die." The boy hardened his look. "I never make empty promises."

 **"Then act like it."** Qrow raised a hand to where Pyrrha had gone. **"She might be the best of her class, but she still can't match up to us."**

"I know that, dad." Jay got up and put his scroll away. "But she needs the training. She needs to learn her own way."

 **"But you can't even see her now. You don't even know if she's okay."**

"She'll be fine."

The sound of gunfire in the distance made both of them turn their heads. Without a moment of thought, Jay took off, Ebon Reach at the ready.

 **"I told you so."**

"She's not dead yet." Jay all but shouted to the phantom. "I would know if she was dead. Remember who's got whacky aura powers here."

Emerging from the thick of trees, Jay looked on to see that Pyrrha was engaged in heavy combat with three Ursa majors. Judging from the trail of ashes, she had taken out a fair amount of Grimm already.

Ebon Reach still in hand, but now more curious than fearful, Jay casually leaned against a tree to watch the spartan warrior go at it. Her movements were practiced, instinctive, and natural. Her face had concentration written on it, not at intense levels, but not quite casual either. She moved with a sort of grace and practice and deadliness that was unnatural for someone her age.

 **"Better get in there."** Qrow crossed his arms. **"Show her how it's done."**

Jay said nothing, but heeded the senior huntsman's words, even if for the sake of shutting the older man up. With Ebon Reach at the ready, the junior huntsman sped forward. He was not Ruby fast, but he he could be zingy when he wanted to be.

Swinging the massive scythe, Jay was a whirlwind, cutting through a torrent of enemies without remorse. Grimm dust and body parts littered his path. Pyrrha saw him and responded by backing off a bit, seeing the Grimm were becoming more attracted to him. Switching her weapon to rifle form, she provided some cover fire.

Even with her efforts focused on the battle, she couldn't help but admire Jay's combative style. It was alien to her, but that didn't detract how he used it against the Grimm. There was no hesitation, no faltering, no fear. It was as if he was bred for combat. Never before had she seen someone his age with such control of the killing field. Only huntsman with experience and training could do this.

So what was his secret?

Pyrrha sent her shield behind her to smack into the backside of a Grimm so it would collapse on her blade. She dropped to the ground to evade another aimed strike to the back of her head. Using her semblance, she guided her shield to her back so that the claw intended for her only clashed against metal.

Miló was still in rifle form, and with this in mind, she did a flip back onto her feet taking aim and firing into the center of a Ursa's forehead.

With another fallen Grimm, Pyrrha scolded herself. She'd let herself get distracted by her guide. She'd marvel over him and his fighting style once the danger had passed.

Seeing another line of Grimm headed her way, and with a quick thought, she threw Akoúo̱ on an intentional course, then fired a shot which deflected off the flying shield and through three more heads.

Jay out of the corner of his eyes watched Pyrrha doing her thing. It was impressive for someone of her status. All of that talk about being really good wasn't all just hot air and simple worship from fans.

Her skills validated meant less hassle; she was going to need it to survive where he was taking her.

The boy casually swiped at a Griffin trying to take him off the ground. He followed up with an aura blade to split it in half.

Switching back to sword mode, Jay performed a feint to the right in order to cause a lone Beowolf to collapse on the ground before he stuck the point home.

It was only after this final hit that both Pyrrha and Jay finally looked to each other. She signaled that it was clear.

"I can see that your skills are not without substance, Miss Nikos." Jay sheathed his weapon, taking in a full breath of air. "Above the norms of combat school students."

"And I see that your reputation is very much true." Pyrrha stepped up to stand next to him. "Quite a display."

"Not my intention. In any case, we ought to keep moving. More Grimm will be here soon."

He felt the need to compliment her because she needed to remain focused on the task. It looked like his opinion of her seemed to matter to her more than he or even she knew. He would have to work on building her confidence.

She might be number one on the battlefield, but it would seem when off of the battlefield, she was sorely lacking.

This was going to be a lot of work.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Ozpin." Glynda Goodwitch entered his office, scroll in hand. "A moment if you please?"

"Of course, Glynda." Ozpin turned away from the window and set his eyes to meet her own. "What is it?"

"I have concerns about sending Jay off to get the memory crystal." She stared at her scroll, currently scrolling through Beacon's information archives. "Normally, I wouldn't worry, but because of his semblance, I worry it'll do more harm than good."

"The concern is warranted, but maybe not as much as you believe." He gazed into the workings of the tower. "I've been helping Jay hone his semblance and preparing him for it."

"Not only that, but I worry what this means for a student like Pyrrha Nikos." The teacher continued on. "Is Jay really ready to handle this responsibility?"

"It's not a matter of if he is ready." Ozpin sat in his chair, not a slouch in sight. "It never has been."

"Ozpin?" Glynda tilted her head in wonder.

Linking his hands together, the old man adopted a look of deep thought and wonder. Glynda had seen this look before, and more often than not, she wished she could read into what he was thinking. He had a sort of mindset that even she couldn't comprehend fully all the time. Even if she was one of his most trusted friends, Ozpin did have his ways of continuing to confound her.

"Jay Branwen was meant to be tested through and through." Ozpin regarded his cane, then he returned to focus on Glynda. "His whole life has been such. This is merely another test for him."

"To prove what?" Glynda couldn't help but voice her curiosity.

"To prove where his path will take him in the coming years. I'm not blind as to what he truly wants. Even since Qrow's "death," Jay's been constantly hunting for the whereabouts of the Fall Maiden."

"And constantly failing is doing more than make him a little upset." Glynda exhaled a breath of air. "Qrow was never the most patient man. And with Jay's condition, I don't imagine it to be that much easier."

"True, but back to the original point." The headmaster held his coffee cup but didn't drink from it. "Revenge is his path and his test. If his resolve says anything, he'll see it through. The question is this: what will be his path be once revenge is satisfied?"

"I don't imagine he's given much thought to his life after." The huntress understood. People like Jay could often forget about a great deal of things because of a singular goal. "Still, he is one of us. We will do what we can to help him."

"And he's been dedicating much time to helping his sisters train." Ozpin pulled up the most recent video of Jay training with Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose. "He's certainly getting them ready for the fight."

"With good reason." Glynda's eyes watched the video as well. "After the death of his father, I don't imagine he's gotten lax with their training."

"Not as long as he continues down this path he's insisted on."

The muffled sounds of weapons firing and grunts of exertion and the sound of clashing filled the room. After another few seconds of observation, he shut off the screen and stood up again, grabbing his cane even if it wasn't necessary.

"The Fall Maiden is out there somewhere, Glynda. And the Queen is far from done with us. She will come for us one day."

"But we don't even know how, sir. We just know it will happen."

"We've been looking into the present and future, trying to predict the next move." He tapped his cane on the floor. "Perhaps those are the wrong places to look."

A tilt of the head indicated her interest in his words.

He didn't look her way or even give a slight head movement. His eyes only focused on the horizon in deep thought. Whatever questions she had would not be answered. He was really deep in thought now.

"I should go." Glynda turned on her heels. "I thank you for your time headmaster."

Her heels clicked against the floor, and not once did he move as she waited for the elevator, stepped in, pressed the button to the ground floor, and stared at him as the door closed. She was worried undoubtedly.

She hadn't seen Ozpin this worried in a very long time, and few things did get under the man's skin.

When Glynda was no longer present, Ozpin heard his scroll sending him an alert message. Pushing away his worries, he pulled up his alerts to see who was calling him. It was General James Ironwood.

Unexpected, and Ozpin had no idea if he should think of this call as welcome or unwelcome. He wasn't exactly in his best talkative mood.

Whatever his feelings regarding Ironwood or his methods, Ozpin answered the call immediately. As much as he called the man a friend, the general was also a bit of a wild card at times.

"General." Ozpin let genuine attitude play its part. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You don't owe me anything, Oz." Ironwood looked tall and proud as always. "But I wish I could discuss pleasantries today."

"What's the matter at hand?"

"The Fall Maiden. I understand you sent Mr. Branwen out to retrieve a potential game-changing artifact."

Now Ozpin felt just the most minor hint of strain.

"Neglecting the fact that you knew this before I informed you," Ozpin didn't change his tone at all, "I don't even know if what I'm sending him out for is that game-changing. At best, it's a gamble."

"And at worst?" Ironwood too was unchanged in manner. "Ozpin, we are the protectors of the world. We cannot do our duty if you're not tell us things."

"I understand your concern, but think about this real carefully, Ironwood. With one Maiden unaccounted for and the other three at risk even now, you understand if I have to change my methods of operation for all of our sakes."

Ironwood opened his mouth, then froze. Ozpin only closed his eyes. Standstills like this one were nothing new to the two huntsman. It always came to a difference of ideology when they were like this. It was no different the first time they argued and it was no different all these years later.

"If you won't divulge that information, then can you tell me why you saw fit to assign a student with Jay?"

"I'm aiming to teach Mr. Branwen a lesson." Ozpin brought his coffee cup closer to his side. "Monty Oum knows he's in need of one."

"I see." The general seemed to be appeased with this answer. "And what does Pyrrha Nikos have to teach our mutual friend?"

"Nothing in combat, but more so a lesson from the spirit."

"...I will take my leave. Farewell, Ozpin."

"Farewell, general."

A blank screen, an empty tower, a frowning old man.

Part of the truth was with Glynda, part of it with James, and part of it with Jay.

Why?

… one couldn't reveal what they didn't know.

That's how bad Ozpin felt things were going.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"When's he coming back?" Ruby whined as she worked on her weapon. "He said he'd be back. He promised."

"Believe me, Rubes, I want him back as much as you do, but you heard him." Yang flung some of her hair back. "And you know what that means."

"But I want him here now!" Ruby let out a huff. "Why can't we ever go with him? What's out there that we can't face?"

"Dunno, Ruby. I say it's total baloney." Yang sat down on her bed. "But we don't get to go. Dad's rules, and they're really stupid."

"And they're there for a good reason."

Both girls looked to see Summer entering the room. The immediately stopped their conversation to see what their mother wanted.

"Hi mom." Ruby smiled. "Something you need?"

Summer took a seat between the girls and brought them closer to her. The girls were only too eager to cuddle with their mother.

"I'm sorry girls." Summer smiled, but it wasn't her best one. "I couldn't help but listen in."

"Is something wrong?" Yang leaned closer.

"Jay has been sent by Ozpin for another mission." Summer explained what she knew. "This is the second time this month."

"I know." Yang replied. "Jay told me to tell you."

"It's not really necessary now, but thank you Yang. And also, he's being accompanied by a prospective huntress."

"Who?" Ruby asked. "And what's prospective mean?"

"Prospective means expecting, Ruby." Summer ruffled her hair. "And the student name is Pyrrha Nikos."

"Wait, I've heard of that girl." Yang's eyes widened in realization. "She's the three-time Mistral Tournament girl."

"Yes, she is." Summer looked to the two of them. "What of it?"

"Why would Jay go with her?" Ruby frowned a deep frown. "He takes everyone but us on his missions."

"He doesn't take us." Summer reminded her younger daughter. "Your father and I aren't allowed. And he usually has Emerald on his missions."

Right, that girl. Both Ruby and Yang still weren't sure about that girl even after more than a year of knowing Emerald. Their parents had no opposition on the other hand. Emerald was considered a trusted friend of the family in their eyes.

"Ruby's right." Yang chimed in. "How come he gets all the fun and we don't?"

"Because your brother has the skills you two don't have."

"But big bro's been teaching me!" Ruby continued to fight back. "I built Cresent Rose to fight!"

"And I've got Ember Celica!" The clank of a readied weapon professed her stance.

Both sisters now said brother instead of cousin. It was a more appropriate term to use given the close relationship between the sisters and Qrow's adopted son. More than once in the past, Summer gotten use to the term after she'd been corrected several times.

"Ruby, Jay has experience the training. You don't." Summer spoke the words that she didn't want to speak. "Skill isn't enough to be a hero."

Ruby let out a growl, then a small whine. What else could she say? She wanted her brother, and the look of her elder sister said the same thing. Summer couldn't really say much else to assure the girls that Jay would come back no worse for wear.

"What's going on?" Taiyang's presence let Summer breath a little easier. "Are we talking about who I think we're talking about?"

"Yes." Summer motioned for him. "I could use your help telling the girls that it'll be okay."

"Alright." Taiyang took a few steps into the room. "Scoot over."

Summer made room for her husband to sit. Ruby and Yang too moved so that he had enough space.

"Ruby, Yang." Taiyang looked to both girls, watching to see if he had their attention. So far, he did. "It's harder to be a huntress than we make it look."

"For you anyways." Summer smacked his shoulder. "You're a huntsman."

"That's not the point." Taiyang spared only a seething glance. "The point is Jay is more than ready to do what he does. You two aren't."

If Yang and Ruby weren't so stubborn, they might just conceded that their parents weren't going to give in no matter what they did. They were parents after all, and parents did this sort of worrying, especially when it came to students who had warriors for children, which didn't make any sense. Jay was a child.

Why did he get special treatment?

"But-" Kids just never learn.

"This is not up for discussion." Summer decided to put her foot down. "You both cannot go with Jay when he goes on missions."

It was only when this line was drawn did the two back away, but not without showing their clear displeasure. One pouted, the other grimaced.

Both parents only could give each other shakey looks. Disagreements like this weren't often, and they wished to keep it that way.

So left with nothing but two daughters who wouldn't talk to them now, they both decided it was time to take their leave, give some space. They both rose and made their way into the hall, leaving a crack open to the room.

Yang pounded a fist into the bed sheet. Ruby huffed.

"It's not fair!" Ruby shouted to the room. "It's not fair!"

"You got that right sis." Yang felt frustrated. "But what can we do. If we take one wrong step, we'll be grounded."

"Then we'll try something else." Ruby rose. "When Jay comes home, we'll talk to him, get him to see our way of thinking."

"You think he'll say yes?" Yang wasn't quite sure.

"It's not like he's said no to our faces, and he's not the only one." Ruby took a look at her scroll. "Maybe Uncle Qrow can talk some sense into mom and dad."

Ruby sounded convinced that their parents would buy into whatever arguments that Jay or Qrow would throw at them.

Yang wanted to go just as much as Ruby. There must be so much fun to be had with Jay and his job.

But it wasn't their fault that they were still kids that didn't really get what was going on. Nothing was going to stop them from being huntresses and from sticking by their brother.

At least they thought so.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Several hours of travelling through the forest had worn the two warriors down to the bone. The sun was showing signs of dipping down into a sunset.

They would soon have to set up camp.

"This looks like a good spot to set up." Jay held his weapon still at ready. "Defensible, natural terrain to stall Grimm, and a nearby water source."

Pyrrha's only response was to nod, a motion he only saw when she didn't respond with words. She hadn't said many words on this whole trip. In fact, she seemed almost afraid to talk to him.

Laying down his weapon, he looked to the spartan. "I'm going to get some materials to make a shelter. Give a shout if anything comes around."

"Can I… can I help you?" Pyrrha placed her weapons on her back. "I want to do my part and help."

"If you want to help, it would be appreciated." Jay folded his weapon, then sheathed it. "This way. Just remember where we came from?"

Maybe he'd underestimated her and she was a bit more daring than he gave her credit for. She could've just as easily accepted his offer to remain in this spot.

 **"Probably doesn't know how to get the conversation started."** Qrow voiced his opinion. **"Just don't get too sappy."**

 _If you shut up, maybe I will do just that._ Jay let his thoughts free. _Besides, she's not the type to do that kind of thing._

 **"Don't be so sure, Jay."** Qrow's form was only visible to him. **"Men and women will get with you for the right price."**

 _I'll keep that in mind if I need to seduce someone, but I don't._

"So..." Jay spotted a decent piece of firewood. "When you're not training to be a huntress, what do you do for fun?"

"I'm sorry?" Pyrrha seemed startled by this question.

"What do you do for fun?" Jay repeated his question. "You know, even with someone of your skill, you must have something to do for fun."

"Well, I do a lot of reading." She answered. "I do like books."

 _Okay, so that's not gonna work._ One thing that Jay and Qrow could agree on was that books were boring. _Skip that and advance forward._

"How about legends and fairy tales?"

"Well, there's always the tale of the four maidens."

 _The one that's real but everyone thinks isn't._ Jay felt his blood boil at the thought of that woman who had continued to evade him. _One day, my dear Fall Maiden. One day._

"Ah yes, the classical story." Jay felt Qrow's conscious snark. "Who doesn't know that one?"

"What do you think of it, Mr. Br-... Jay?" Pyrrha correction didn't go unnoticed.

"What do I think about the tale?" He could think of a number of things to speak about, though he felt sure she wouldn't believe him. "I think that it's a tale of inspiration. One should always do the best of his or her abilities, no matter what."

While grabbing some firewood, he noticed several more fallen branches that looked large enough to make a tent with. He pointed to the branches with his free hand, and she jumped at the chance to help.

There was some shrub that could be used. Some stones for structural support. A few twigs for handiness. A few wild fruits that were edible.

For the next half an hour, they gathered resources, some various items that could be consumed, and water from a freshwater source. To light the fire, Jay took one of his dust rounds to get some sparks going. Within another few minutes, a fire was going, though it was more for cooking than for warmth. Where they were, they weren't going to need that much heat.

With Pyrrha's assistance, they both constructed two shelters to sleep in. It would be enough to provide cover from the sun and perhaps minimal insulation, though it was hardly needed to begin with.

How he wished that there was a village nearby, but there were nowhere near villages, and even if there was one, it would be best to avoid them because the mere presence of warriors, hunter or not, drew attention, at least when missions were active. Off-duty, the danger, even if there, was far less.

His thoughts turned to Shion, the little village in Mistral that he was quite fond of.

And he was not discounting the possibility that there were possible tailers following them. There was always some idiot following him when he went solo or with Emerald. News had to have gotten out by now that the two of them were travelling. Try as he might to keep a low profile, some bastard or bitch made his life all the more difficult, and he was sure to try and cover his tracks.

Obviously not a coincidence.

"Can I ask you a question?" Jay snapped out of his trance. "Does your life allow you to travel a lot?"

"Not of my own free will, at least not most of the time." Pyrrha sat about a meter away from him, staring into the fire. "And for the most part, I have never truly travelled outside of the kingdom. It's always on the behalf of others."

"Others? You mean Pumpkin Pete's?" He used a large stick to move the logs in the fire. "I've never eaten the cereal. I've always wanted to try though."

"I'd advise you against it." She glanced at her shield and weapon nearby. "It's not ideal for a prime huntsman. It's not healthy."

"Well, thanks for the tip, but I've had worse things than unhealthy cereal. Take it from a person who gets drunk occasionally."

"You… drink?"

"Yeah, though at least I've got some form of control unlike my old man." The jab wouldn't go unnoticed by Qrow. "He had a bit more of a problem with it than I did."

"I've never heard of the huntsman Qrow Branwen in this light."

Her voice, it was not something that Jay was use to hearing from someone his age. He was use to brats and loudmouths and idiots in their shared age range, but not what she was. She was unique, and even if that truth was one she didn't wish to shoulder, and it didn't take a genius to know that fame was not something she enjoyed.

Or maybe it was because he understood her pain in some ways.

"Well, believe it or not." Jay took in a breath, smelling the scent of burning wood. "We celebrities have lives that we don't want the public to know about. That's why when we were on our off times, we often went to villages that didn't know our names. It was easier that way."

"There could be places that don't know my name?" That sounded like real hope in Pyrrha's voice.

"Possibly." He handed her a cantina. "You gotta remember, not everyone wants to live in the cities and the kingdoms, so if they're not connected with the kingdoms or the cities, they probably don't know what's going on inside. My father knew this fact and he used it to his advantage to get away, and Ozpin reminds of this fact whenever possible. He thinks I work too hard."

Ten seconds of voice silence, with only the sound of the fire and the forest filling their ears.

"What was he like? Your father, I mean."

"My father and I once travelled together. We were inseparable for the most part. His philosophy in life was that the best teacher was live field experience. He always said a day out in the world was worth a week at Beacon, and I stand by that statement. Combat school's got nothing on the real deal."

Talking about his adventures was nothing new to the boy. He'd talked to so many people about his exploits. Whether they believed him or not wasn't important. If it entertained a person, he would tell them. Pyrrha seemed to take a vast interest in what he had to say. Why she did remained ambiguous.

Looking out into the dimming sky, his memories turned bitter at the thought of the one person he wanted to find like no other.

"But enough about me." He needed to focus his attention elsewhere. "I see your swordsmanship is exceptional for someone of your age."

"I do my best to keep my edges sharp."

They would need to get some food soon, and hunting was the best choice.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

She knew that he was hiding something.

It was his right to keep things from her as her superior and her better, but she still saw that he was hiding something.

That only spurred her on; she wanted a friendship, a relationship, someone she could trust, and right now, Jay was the person she had.

There was much potential for her, and so far, he seemed at least satisfied with her performance thus far.

But he was far from trusting her with his life.

* * *

 **I'm back dudes and dudettes, after months of absolutely no progress. Why?**

 **Here's reason number one: I've realized how much I've changed as a writer when I started writing for the RWBY section of FanFiciton. I'm into stories with plot, character development, and slice-of-life type genres. Action stories, as much fun as they are, don't appeal nearly as much as they use to. So getting new ideas was more work.**

 **And my second reason: I lost major steam. I had an idea, a plan, and a goal for this story, and it got lost when school and other stories made me lose so much fuel. I can't say I've fully recovered, but I'm not ready to give up yet.**

 **With my excuses out of the way, back to the story. This arc of the story with Jaune/Jay and Pyrrha was last several more chapters in order for a relationship to be established and cemented. Then will come another arc for him and Emerald to introduce their dynamics and answer questions about their relationship.**

 **If it interests any of you, there's a poll detailing story ideas that I wanted to write. For your chance to influence the next story I put up, see my bio for story summaries and vote for your favorite.**

 **Also, please excuse any grammatical errors.**

 **So what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Meh? Let me know in a review.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember:**

 _ **"Life itself is a quotation."**_

 **Jorge Luis Borges**

 **Peace!**


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